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Soldier-relevant body borne load impacts minimum foot clearance during obstacle negotiation
T N Brown1, K L Loverro2, J M Schiffman3
1Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA; US. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, MA, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Belcamp, MD, USA.
Applied Ergonomics
|March 21, 2016
Summary
Soldiers carrying loads increased foot clearance and reduced foot movement variability to avoid tripping over obstacles. This strategy enhances safety by creating a larger margin of error when navigating challenging terrain.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Military Science
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Soldiers frequently encounter obstacles during duty, leading to trips and falls.
- Falls pose a significant risk of injury to military personnel.
- Understanding obstacle negotiation mechanics is crucial for injury prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how body-borne load affects soldiers' foot clearance while crossing obstacles.
- To quantify minimum foot clearance (MFC) parameters during obstacle negotiation.
- To identify strategies soldiers employ to minimize tripping risk under load.
Main Methods:
- Ten male soldiers participated in the study.
- Foot clearance was measured while crossing low (305 mm) and high (457 mm) obstacles.
- Participants were assessed with and without a body-borne load (6 kg vs. 19.4 kg).
Main Results:
- Carrying a load increased lead foot minimum foot clearance (MFC) and reduced lead and trail foot variability.
- Obstacle height did not significantly affect MFC.
- Trail foot placement near a high obstacle, while loaded, correlated with greater lead and trail MFC.
Conclusions:
- Soldiers adapt by increasing foot clearance and reducing foot movement variability when carrying loads.
- These adaptations create a safety margin, potentially reducing tripping incidents.
- Findings inform strategies for designing equipment and training protocols to enhance soldier safety.
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