Self-Reported Load Carriage Conditioning Practices of Australian Soldiers

Soldiers are required to carry external loads as part of their occupation. Physical conditioning to carry such loads is vital if injuries are to be avoided and occupational task performance optimised. Soldiers were asked to describe their most recent load carriage physical training session via an online survey. Of the 338 respondents, only 41% reported completing a load carriage conditioning session in the preceding 14 days. The loads carried ranged from a mean Patrol Order load of 15.5 kg (±10.8 kg) to a mean Marching Order load of 36.3 kg (±12.0 kg). Roads (42%) and dirt or grass (39%) constituted the predominant terrains traversed, with the majority of sessions (79%) lasting no more than 2 hours and being of an endurance marching nature (60%). When compared to the recommended load carriage conditioning requirements suggested by the literature, these conditioning sessions were deficient in several areas when relating to the Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type of conditioning required. These results suggest that soldiers are not being optimally conditioned for field and operational load carriage requirements.