Energy Expenditure of Heavy Load Carriage

It is unresolved whether the per kilogram metabolic costs of body mass vs. external mass affixed to the torso are equal.

“Similarly unresolved is whether the per kilogram metabolic costs of body mass vs. external mass affixed to the torso are equal (6,26,30,37,45,51,58,67).”

Overall energy expenditure is determined by carried load, movement speed, and grade or ground slope, each with readily identifiable effects.

“Overall energy expenditure is also determined by other variables such as carried load, movement speed, and grade or ground slope [3–5], each with readily identifiable effects.”

Walking speed is generally a strong predictor of energy cost.

“Walking speed is generally a strong predictor of energy cost [5,35].”

The multistep evolution that included Goldman and Iampietro, Givoni and Goldman, and Soule et al. before the original Pandolf et al. equation paper and subsequent extension by Santee et al. to include negative gradients ultimately resulted in a lengthy equation requiring multiple inputs of speed, grade, and load.

“The multistep evolution that included Goldman and Iampietro (7), Givoni and Goldman (6), and Soule et al. (8) before the original Pandolf et al. equation paper (5) and subsequent extension by Santee et al. (9) to include negative gradients, ultimately resulted in a lengthy equation requiring multiple inputs of the speed, grade, and load to encompass specific trial conditions.”

The Pandolf equation includes speed, load, and positive-only gradient capabilities.

“The most established is the equation by Pandolf et al. (5) which was originally formulated from several relatively small treadmill and overground walking datasets (6–8) to include speed, load, and positive-only gradient capabilities.”