Load Carriage Induced Alterations of Pulmonary Function
Abstract
Load carriage systems supported by the trunk have been shown to decrease certain indices of pulmonary function. We investigated the hypothesis that these pulmonary function reductions are directly related to the backpack load carried due to the mechanical constraint it imposes of the thoracic cage. To investigate this hypothesis, 5 young males with no pulmonary disorders were tested while standing upright carrying well-fitted 0, 10 or 30 kg loaded U.S. Army ALICE backpacks. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and 15 s maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV15) were measured. With increasing load, FVC and FEV1 progressively decreased reaching 6 and 6.7% decrements respectively with 30 kg load. The MVV15 was decreased about 8.4% with the 10 kg load, but did not demonstrate any further decrement with the 30 kg load. Analysis of flow-volume loops obtained with with the 0 and 30 kg loads showed that the reduction of FVC was not associated with any decrement of peak inspiratory or expiratory flows. These results indicate a limitation of the ventilatory pump caused by load carriage which is directly related to the load carried and characteristic of restrictive diseases of the respiratory system. Keywords: Load carrying, Pulmonary function, Human factors engineering; Stress(Physiology); Exercise.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA186227
Entities
People
- K. B. Pandolf
- S. R. Muza
- W. A. Latzka
- Y. Epstein
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine