Effect of Load Carriage Lifestyle on Kinematics and Kinetics of Gait

Abstract

Backpacks are commonly worn by many people for multiple purposes. This study investigated the effects of habitual wearing of backpacks on lower limb kinematics and kinetics. Fourteen participants were recruited for analysis. All participants performed four randomly assigned scenarios, including running and walking at speeds of 3.5 and 1.5 m/s, respectively, with and without load carriage. The motion analysis system and force plate were used to investigate the lower limb kinematics and kinetics. A paired sample t-test was performed for statistical measurement with a significance level of α = .05. The results indicated that active force, breaking force, impact peak, loading rate, active peak, maximum braking, hip flexion, and hip range of motion were substantially higher under load carriage conditions than under walking condition, however, time to peak was lower. Conversely, during load carriage running, active force, braking impulse, time to peak, ankle plantarflexion, and ankle range of motion were all higher than those during running. Carrying a backpack weighing 10% of the body weight induced different foot strike patterns at both speeds; during load carriage walking, the hip tended to flex more; whereas, during load carriage running, the ankle tended to flex more. In conclusion, human body seems to adopt different gait strategies during load carriage walking and running. That is, the hip strategy is used during walking, while the ankle strategy is used during running.

Analytical parameters to check association between load carriage system and bag packs-influenced musculoskeletal complications among school going students: a scoping review

“…Most studies included school population as one of the major eligibility criteria. The studies were conducted in India (n = 3) [ 13 - 15 ], Brazil (n = 3) [ 16 - 18 ], Nigeria (n = 2) [ 19 , 20 ], Portugal (n = 2) [ 21 , 22 ], Pakistan (n = 2) [ 23 , 24 ], Taiwan (n = 1) [ 25 , 26 ], Poland (n = 1) [ 27 ], Spain (n = 2) [ 28 , 29 ], and Kenya (n = 1) [ 30 ]. Six studies evaluated musculoskeletal pain.…”

“…Nevertheless, this tool is not specifically intended for clinical decision making and is not directly related to backpack-influenced musculoskeletal complications. Six studies [ 17 , 19 , 22 , 23 , 25 , 28 ] used various analytical software packages to assess potential postural irregularities influenced by backpack usage. One study formulated a model based on strain energy, incorporating the chest width, chest depth, Young’s modulus of elasticity of articular cartilage, maximum allowable spinal shrinkage, spinal length, and student height to determine the appropriate backpack weight for school-going individuals.…”

“…This review examined and reported several long-term complications resulting from carrying backpacks. These include the angles of the head, neck, and trunk [ 13 ], the impact of habitual backpack use on lower limb kinematics and kinetics [ 25 ], and the effects of backpacks on ground reaction forces (GRFs) during running, walking, and jumping [ 22 ]. Additionally, studies conducted among school-going populations have documented behavioral changes associated with backpack use.…”

Human‐in‐the‐loop optimized rocker profile of running shoes to enhance ankle work and running economy

“…Moreover, this atypical running pattern was also seen in the condition with the control shoe and thus not a negative side effect of the experimental shoes. A possible explanation for this result might be the fact that participants wore a portable spirometer on their back during data collection and this load carriage induced the atypical running pattern (Wang et al., 2023).…”