Effects of Load Carriage on Postural Sway and Relative Ground Reaction Forces in Special Police Officers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Mario Kasović, Tomaš Vespalec and Lovro Štefan ()
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Mario Kasović: Department of General and Applied Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tomaš Vespalec: Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Sports Studies, Masaryk University, 62 500 Brno, Czech Republic
Lovro Štefan: Department of General and Applied Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 24, 1-7

Abstract: Although excessive load carriage results in biomechanical gait changes, little evidence has been provided regarding its impact on postural sway. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to determine whether heavier loads have effects on changing foot stability and postural sway in special police officers. Thirty male special police officers (age = 40 ± 6 years, height = 180 ± 5 cm, weight = 89 ± 8 kg) were assessed in four conditions: (1) carrying no load, (2) carrying a 5 kg load, (3) carrying a 25 kg load, and (4) carrying a 45 kg load. Foot characteristics during standing were assessed with Zebris pedobarographic pressure platform. Heavier loads increased the center of pressure (COP) path length and average velocity, length of minor and major axis, and 95% confidence ellipse area, while a decrease in angle between Y and major axis was observed. Relative forces beneath the left forefoot and right backfoot regions decreased and an increase in relative forces beneath the left backfoot and right forefoot was observed. When carrying heavy loads, static foot parameters rapidly changed, especially in COP path length and average velocity.

Keywords: center of pressure; special police; gait movement; heavy load; changes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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