Load Carriage Requirements for Tactical personnel

Load carriage is a fundamental requirement for tactical personnel but its requirements and contexts are poorly understood. While generally acknowledged, few allied health practitioners and support elements understand the specific injuries that can occur with load carriage nor the complex nuances that exist with this task requirement. Apart from the differences in load weights between the difference tactical professions, there are differences in load carriage approaches (e.g., plate carrier, load bearing vest, patrol pack, etc.,) and load placement (e.g., hip rig, thigh rig, chest rig). Furthermore, while loads weights are generally considered, the contexts in which they are carried (e.g., speed of movement, terrain type and grade, etc.) are not considered in terms of impacts or, more importantly, how they can be used to optimise load carriage conditioning and reconditioning. There is a need to allied health and support elements to understand the bespoke load carriage requirements of tactical professionals if they are to optimise conditioning, reconditioning and return-to-work following injury.