Effects of Personal Body Armor on Functional Movement Capability

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Science
• Occupational Health

Background:

• The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assesses fundamental movement patterns crucial for tactical athletes.
• Limited research exists on the impact of load carriage, such as ballistic vests, on FMS performance in tactical personnel.
• Understanding movement deficits under load is vital for operational readiness and injury prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of ballistic vest wear on functional movement patterns assessed by the FMS.
• To quantify movement deficits in tactical personnel when performing FMS tasks with load carriage.
• To identify specific FMS components affected by ballistic vest use.

Main Methods:

• A convenience sample of 31 college students participated in the study.
• Participants completed FMS assessments under both loaded (ballistic vest) and unloaded conditions.
• The Sign test was employed to analyze differences in FMS composite and component scores between conditions (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in overall FMS composite scores was observed with ballistic vest wear (p < 0.001).
• Specific FMS components showing significant reductions included in-line lunges (dominant and non-dominant sides) and shoulder mobility (dominant and non-dominant sides).
• Non-dominant rotary stability also demonstrated a significant decrease under loaded conditions (p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

• Ballistic vest wear demonstrably reduces functional movement capacity and specific mobility components in the studied population.
• Tactical athletes may exhibit better tolerance to load carriage when performing tasks on their dominant side.
• Findings underscore the need to consider ballistic vest design, fit, and task demands for tactical athletes.