Spatiotemporal and Kinematic Comparisons Between Anthropometrically Paired Male and Female Soldiers While Walking With Heavy Loads

Limited work comparing the effect of heavier carried loads (greater than 30 kg) between men and women has attributed observed differences to sex with the possibility that anthropometric differences may have contributed to those discrepancies. With the recent decision permitting women to enter Combat Arms roles, knowledge of sex-based differences in gait response to load carriage is more operationally relevant, as military loads are absolute and not relative to body weight. The purpose of this study was to describe differences in gait parameters at light to heavy loads between anthropometrically similar male and female soldiers. Materials and Methods Eight female and 8 male soldiers, frequency-matched (1-to-1) on height (±0.54 cm) and mass (±0.52 kg), walked at 1.34 m∙s−1 for 10-min bouts on a level treadmill while unloaded (BM) and then carrying randomized vest-borne loads of 15, 35, and 55 kg. Spatiotemporal and kinematic data were collected for 30 s after 5 min. Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted to compare the gait parameter variables between sexes at each load. Results As load increased, overall, the percent double support increased, step frequency increased, stride length decreased, hip and ankle range of motion (ROM) increased, and vertical center of mass (COM) displacement increased. Sex-based significant differences were observed in knee ROM and mediolateral COM displacement. Among the male participants, knee ROM increased significantly for all loads greater than BM. For mediolateral COM displacement, male remained constant as load increased, whereas female values decreased between BM and 35 kg. Conclusions Spatiotemporal and kinematic differences in gait parameters were primarily because of increases in load magnitude. The observed sex-related differences with increasing loads suggest that women may require a more stable gait to support the additional load carried.