Soldiers’ load carriage performance in high mountains: a physiological study

Table 5 Changes in physiological parameters and rating of perceived exertion under different loads, altitudes and speeds (mean ± SD, n = 12)

Parameters	2.5 km/h HA1				2.5 km/h HA2				3.5 km/h HA1				3.5 km/h HA2
Parameters	NL	L1	L2	L3	NL	L1	L2	L3	NL	L1	L2	L3	NL	L1	L2	L3
VO₂ (ml · min⁻¹ · kg⁻¹)*	9.3 ± 0.7	10.0 ± 0.9	11.4 ± 1.2	12.5 ± 1.3	10.3 ± 0.7	11.7 ± 0.9	12.5 ± 1.2	14.3 ± 1.3	11.0 ± 0.6	12.4 ± 1.3	13.3 ± 2.1	14.4 ± 2.2	12.5 ± 0.9	14.7 ± 0.7	15.8 ± 1.5	16.1 ± 1.8
HR (beats · min⁻¹)*	87 ± 15	90 ± 12	92 ± 15	98 ± 12	89 ± 12	93 ± 12	98 ± 13	105 ± 11	89 ± 11	95 ± 14	100 ± 12	102 ± 10	96 ± 12	100 ± 10	109 ± 12	113 ± 16
VE (L · min⁻¹)*	21.1 ± 3.0	23.7 ± 3.1	25.8 ± 2.5	28.8 ± 4.9	22.7 ± 3.8	26.8 ± 3.9	29 ± 4.5	32.2 ± 5.2	26.7 ± 3.2	29.9 ± 3.5	33.3 ± 4.9	35.2 ± 4.5	30.2 ± 4.6	35.7 ± 4.4	40.2 ± 4.6	41.8 ± 6.7
EE (Kcal · min⁻¹)*	3.0 ± 0.3	3.2 ± 0.4	3.6 ± 0.3	4.0 ± 0.4	3.5 ± 0.4	4.0 ± 0.4	4.3 ± 0.4	4.6 ± 0.5	3.3 ± 0.4	3.8 ± 0.4	4.1 ± 0.6	4.6 ± 0.7	4.0 ± 0.4	4.7 ± 0.5	5.1 ± 0.6	5.2 ± 0.7
RWL (%)*	21.1 ± 2.5	22.6 ± 3.1	26.3 ± 3.9	28.7 ± 4.1	23.6 ± 4.0	26.8 ± 4.8	28.6 ± 4.8	32.9 ± 5.5	30.5 ± 2.8	34.6 ± 3.6	36.7 ± 4.4	39.3 ± 5.6	35 ± 3.6	40.4 ± 5.3	43.4 ± 5.2	44 ± 6.4
RPE*	9 ± 1.0	11 ± 1.4	12 ± 1.6	13 ± 1.2	9 ± 0.9	11 ± 1.0	13 ± 1.0	14 ± 0.9	8 ± 1.4	11 ± 1.4	14 ± 1.8	15 ± 1.7	10 ± 0.8	12 ± 1.2	15 ± 1.1	17 ± 1.2

*P < 0.05, over all significant. NL no load, L1 10.7 kg, L2 21.4 kg, L3 30 kg, HA1 high altitude 1, HA2 high altitude 2

ISSN: 2054-9369