Energy cost of 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).”

The possibility of load-related deviation being responsible for marginally greater relative increases for the heavier vs. lighter load condition as suggested by several investigators to occur for loads >0.3 body weights cannot be completely ruled out.

“The possibility of load-related deviation being responsible for marginally greater relative increases for the heavier vs. lighter load condition as suggested by several investigators (25,26,38,51,58) to occur for loads Ͼ0.3 body weights cannot be completely ruled out.”

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.”

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.”