Researchers to analyze effects of heavy packs

[unhappycamper]

Researchers to analyze effects of heavy packs
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday May 22, 2010 9:28:46 EDT

SAN DIEGO — As the Marine Corps looks to replace the cumbersome ruck Marines and sailors carry into combat, Navy researchers prepare to launch a study aimed at preventing injuries that can be caused by such heavy equipment.

“The intent is to see if we can identify indicators of imminent injury ... or the fact that you have reached the tolerance point for load carriage,” said James Hodgdon, a research physiologist at Naval Health Research Center in San Diego. Navy medical officials and researchers are finalizing details of the two-year study and expect it will begin in a couple of months, Hodgdon said.

The study likely will include two groups of Marines: students at the School of Infantry-West at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and members of an infantry company preparing for deployment.

Some troops carry packs and weapons in combat that weigh 135 pounds or more. All that weight can injure even the most physically fit. Back strains, stress fractures, muscle sprains, herniated discs and other injuries occur with some frequency.

Researchers intend to study men only at this point. “The current focus is on infantry because they are the ones that will directly carry loads,” Hodgdon said.

[Obamanaut]

1. I was watching a documentary the other day about the Normandy

landing (WW2), and when the topic was the paratroopers, the narrator said the equipment they jumped with sometimes approached their body weight.

That's a lot of stuff.

[Glorfindel]

2. Maybe they should rethink the whole concept