Impact of Body Armor on Physical Work Performance; Final rept., July 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006

摘要

The purpose of this study is to identify the physiologic impact and health risks associated with wearing body armor and to develop strategies to prevent or mitigate negative health effects. Body armor is widely used by military, police, security, and first responder personnel for protection against fragmentation, handgun, and rifle projectile injuries. A within-subject, repeated-measures design was used. Thirty-four participants volunteered to undergo two experimental conditions while wearing or not wearing body armor. Subjects walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes at a slow and moderate pace and also completed a physical performance battery. Subjects wearing body armor, compared to not wearing it, had significantly greater increases in oxygen uptake at a slow and moderate pace; blood lactate at a moderate pace; heart rate at slow and moderate pace; and rating of perceived physical exertion at slow and moderate pace. Body armor significantly affected physical tasks: Under the body armor condition, men performed 61 percent fewer pull-ups, and body armor reduced womens hang time by 63 percent; stair stepping in men and women decreased by 16 percent. When examining gender differences, female and male subjects with body armor, as compared to those without body armor, had no significant differences in percentage increase in VO(sub 2), heart rate or respiratory rate at slow or moderate pace while walking and wearing body armor.