The effects of military body armour on trunk and hip kinematics during performance of manual handling tasks

Musculoskeletal injuries are reported as burdening the military. An identified risk factor for injury is carrying heavy loads; however, soldiers are also required to wear their load as body armour. To investigate the effects of body armour on trunk and hip kinematics during military-specific manual handling tasks, 16 males completed 3 tasks while wearing each of 4 body armour conditions plus a control. Three-dimensional motion analysis captured and quantified all kinematic data. Average trunk flexion for the weightiest armour type was higher compared with control during the carry component of the ammunition box lift (p < 0.001) and sandbag lift tasks (p < 0.001). Trunk rotation ROM was lower for all armour types compared with control during the ammunition box place component (p < 0.001). The altered kinematics with body armour occurred independent of armour design. In order to optimise armour design, manufacturers need to work with end-users to explore how armour configurations interact with range of personal and situational factors in operationally relevant environments. Practitioner Summary: Musculoskeletal injuries are reported as burdening the military and may relate to body armour wear. Body armour increased trunk flexion and reduced trunk rotation during military-specific lifting and carrying tasks. The altered kinematics may contribute to injury risk, but more research is required.

Exploring the role of personality and resilience in the stress response: a comparison of military and civilian samples

In the context of emergency services and first responders (i.e. military), the ability to select personnel who have the innate ability to work well in highly charged environments would be advantageous. While there have been some efforts to explore the relationship between personality traits and physiological reactivity in the context of the emergency services, differences in stress responses between civilians and military personnel have not yet been investigated. Therefore the aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between personality, resilience and physiological stress responses. Fifteen civilians and 16 military personnel completed online personality (IPIP) and resilience (CD-RISC) inventories prior to commencing the experimental component of the study. The Mannheim Multi-component Stress Test (MMST) which utilises cognitive, audio, visual and motivational components was employed to elicit an acute stress response. Measures of correct responses and reaction time were sampled during the MMST. Prior to and following exposure to the MMST, positive and negative affect were measured (PANAS), and heart rate was sampled continuously across the study period. Results indicated that Military participants rated significantly lower than civilians on neuroticism; however there were no differences between groups for resilience or any of the other personality traits. Military participants displayed less emotional reactivity and less negative affect following the MMST testing period, and appeared to perform better on the MMST when compared to the civilian sample. However, there was no significant difference in heart rate measures between groups. Collectively, these results provide support for the broaden and buildhypothesis and the transactional stress theory. The results also build on previous empirical stress literature and support the effectiveness of the MMST in laboratory induced stress. Suggestions for future research in the area of resiliency and stress will be discussed. From an applied context, further research in this area may assist in military recruitment processes to place individuals in roles to which they are most suited within the Defence Force.