Load carriage for the warfighter and tactical athlete: Strategies for load carriage optimization

Abstract

The requirement to carry additional load is inherent in a variety of occupational roles across both military and law enforcement. The magnitude and configuration of the load carried is dependent on the specifics of an individuals’ role, the equipment carried, tasks to be undertaken, duration of the mission and the environment in which the operation is performed. The variety in magnitude and configuration of loads carried increases the complexity and extent of the research required to understand the possible mechanisms for the injuries observed, and establish the means by which operational load carriage can be modified to optimize mission specific performance. An international team of five presenters from the UK, USA and Australia, with expertise pertaining to the physiological, biomechanical, and motor control aspects of load carriage as it relates to both the warfighter and the law enforcement officer will address factors relating to strategies for load carriage optimization. This symposium will present the latest research to advance our understanding of the implications of load carriage on warfighter mobility, identify future training needs, and examine the potential for training interventions to minimize injury risks associated directly with load carriage and minimize degradations in operation performance associated with load carriage.