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Cardiorespiratory responses of load carriage in female and male soldiers

Larsson, Jonas LU ; Dencker, Magnus LU ; Bremander, Ann LU and Olsson, M. Charlotte (2022) In Applied Ergonomics 101.
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate the effect of sex and load carriage on cardiorespiratory responses to high intensity exercise in male and female soldiers.

Methods
Soldiers (9 women, 9 men) performed a graded treadmill test until exhaustion with no load (NL) and combat-gear with body armor (CG). Cohen's d effect sizes, paired t-tests and ANOVA were used to study differences between conditions. A mixed linear regression model analyzed the relationship between heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (V̇O2) with load and between sexes.

Results
Wearing CG resulted in, for both sexes, a decreased time to exhaustion (−11 min), lower V̇O2peak (L/min) ES = 0.56; VO2peak (mL//kg/min) ES = 2.44, both p < 0.001, a net decrease in... (More)
Purpose
To investigate the effect of sex and load carriage on cardiorespiratory responses to high intensity exercise in male and female soldiers.

Methods
Soldiers (9 women, 9 men) performed a graded treadmill test until exhaustion with no load (NL) and combat-gear with body armor (CG). Cohen's d effect sizes, paired t-tests and ANOVA were used to study differences between conditions. A mixed linear regression model analyzed the relationship between heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (V̇O2) with load and between sexes.

Results
Wearing CG resulted in, for both sexes, a decreased time to exhaustion (−11 min), lower V̇O2peak (L/min) ES = 0.56; VO2peak (mL//kg/min) ES = 2.44, both p < 0.001, a net decrease in minute ventilation (ES = 3.53) and no change in HRmax. No sex-difference were present except for absolute V̇O2peak. The VO2 and HR relationship showed a cardiorespiratory reduction wearing CG vs. NL. Added load was equal between sexes, although female soldiers' CG relative to body mass was higher (25%) than male soldiers’ (20%), p < 0.01.

Conclusion
Wearing CG reduces soldiers’ cardiorespiratory capacity and exercise performance level, although the reduction cannot be explained solely based on the added load of CG, instead CG seems to restrict the capacity to fully ventilate. No sex differences were found in relative cardiorespiratory responses to wearing CG compared to NL. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Applied Ergonomics
volume
101
article number
103710
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85124976436
  • pmid:35217405
ISSN
0003-6870
DOI
10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103710
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2363d583-6937-4efb-9f65-85a8d5d1fccb
date added to LUP
2022-02-22 14:15:11
date last changed
2023-09-28 12:20:36
@article{2363d583-6937-4efb-9f65-85a8d5d1fccb,
  abstract     = {{Purpose<br/>To investigate the effect of sex and load carriage on cardiorespiratory responses to high intensity exercise in male and female soldiers.<br/><br/>Methods<br/>Soldiers (9 women, 9 men) performed a graded treadmill test until exhaustion with no load (NL) and combat-gear with body armor (CG). Cohen's d effect sizes, paired t-tests and ANOVA were used to study differences between conditions. A mixed linear regression model analyzed the relationship between heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (V̇O2) with load and between sexes.<br/><br/>Results<br/>Wearing CG resulted in, for both sexes, a decreased time to exhaustion (−11 min), lower V̇O2peak (L/min) ES = 0.56; VO2peak (mL//kg/min) ES = 2.44, both p &lt; 0.001, a net decrease in minute ventilation (ES = 3.53) and no change in HRmax. No sex-difference were present except for absolute V̇O2peak. The VO2 and HR relationship showed a cardiorespiratory reduction wearing CG vs. NL. Added load was equal between sexes, although female soldiers' CG relative to body mass was higher (25%) than male soldiers’ (20%), p &lt; 0.01.<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Wearing CG reduces soldiers’ cardiorespiratory capacity and exercise performance level, although the reduction cannot be explained solely based on the added load of CG, instead CG seems to restrict the capacity to fully ventilate. No sex differences were found in relative cardiorespiratory responses to wearing CG compared to NL.}},
  author       = {{Larsson, Jonas and Dencker, Magnus and Bremander, Ann and Olsson, M. Charlotte}},
  issn         = {{0003-6870}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Applied Ergonomics}},
  title        = {{Cardiorespiratory responses of load carriage in female and male soldiers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103710}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apergo.2022.103710}},
  volume       = {{101}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}