High-intensity tasks with external load in military applications: a review

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Military Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Limited research exists on external load (EL) effects on high-intensity tasks under load (HITL).
• Understanding EL training's impact on performance and injury is crucial for military applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize current knowledge on EL's impact on HITL performance.
• To evaluate EL training interventions for HITL and associated injury risks.
• To identify research gaps in EL and HITL for military populations.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on external load and high-intensity tasks under load.
• Analysis of studies examining EL training interventions and their effects.
• Examination of injury data related to external load training.

Main Results:

• EL hinders repetitive lifting and locomotion initiation more than maximal sprinting.
• EL training shows limited benefits for HITL in less trained populations.
• Elite anaerobic athletes may benefit from prolonged hypergravity interventions, suggesting EL training is most effective for well-trained soldiers.
• Women and less trained individuals face higher injury risks with EL training.

Conclusions:

• EL training's benefits for HITL are questionable, especially for less trained individuals.
• EL training may be beneficial for elite soldiers, but requires further investigation.
• Future research should focus on HITL's effects on marksmanship, lifting biomechanics, military hypergravity training, and tactical sprinting kinematics with EL.