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. 2022 Mar:133:110969.
doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2022.110969. Epub 2022 Feb 2.

Tibial compression during sustained walking with body borne load

Elijah M Walker  1 , Miranda Nelson  2 , Micah D Drew  3 , Samantha M Krammer  3 , Tyler N Brown  4
Affiliations

Tibial compression during sustained walking with body borne load

Elijah M Walker et al. J Biomech. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

This study determined if sustained walking with body borne load increases tibial compression, and whether increases in tibial compression are related to vertical GRFs. Thirteen participants had tibial compression and vertical GRF measures quantified while walking at 1.3 m/s for 60 min with body borne load. Each tibial compression (maximum and impulse) and GRF measure (peak, impulse, impact peak and loading rate) were submitted to a RM ANOVA to test the main effect and interaction between load (0, 15, and 30 kg) and time (minute 0, 30 and 60), and correlation analyses determined the relation between tibial compression and vertical GRF measures for each load and time. Each tibial compression and GRF measure increased with the addition of body borne load (all: p < 0.001). Time impacted impact peak (p = 0.034) and loading rate (p = 0.017), but no other GRF or tibial compression measure (p > 0.05). Although both tibial compression and vertical GRFs increased with load, vertical GRF measures exhibited negligible to weak (r: -0.37 to 0.35), and weak to moderate (r: -0.62 to 0.59) relation with maximum and impulse of tibial compression with each body borne load. At each time point, GRF measures exhibited negligible to weak (r: -0.39 to 0.27), and weak to moderate (r: -0.53 to 0.65) relation with maximum and impulse of tibial compression, respectively. Walking with body borne load increased tibial compression, and may place compressive forces on the tibia that lead to stress fracture. But, increases in tibial compression may not stem from concurrent increases in vertical GRFs.

Keywords: Load carriage; Military; Musculoskeletal injury; Stress fracture.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

None

Figures

Fig. B.
Fig. B.
Mean (SD) stance phase (0% - 100%) sagittal plane ankle moment with each body borne load (0, 15, and 30 kg) (A) and at each time point (minute 0, 30, and 60) (B).
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Depicts the equipment worn for the 15 kg and 30 kg load conditions. For the 15 kg and 30 kg load conditions, participants wore a weighted vests that was systematically adjusted to apply the necessary load.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Mean ± SD stance phase (0% - 100%) tibial compression with each body borne load (0, 15, and 30 kg) (A) and at each time point (minute 0, 30 and 60) (B).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Mean ± SD stance phase (0% - 100%) vertical ground reaction force with each body borne load (0, 15, and 30 kg) (A) and at each time point (minute 0, 30 and 60) (B).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Correlation results for tibial compression vs vertical GRF metrics with each body borne load (0 kg (blue), 15 kg (black) and 30 kg (red)).
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Correlation results for tibial compression vs vertical GRF metrics at each time point (minute 0 (blue), minute 30 (black) and minute 60 (red)).
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