Evaluation of Litter Carriage Performance and Post-Carry Fatigue Effects in Prolonged Combat Field Care Environments (Part 2): Effects of Assistive Device Use During Simulated Litter Transport

Litter carriage transport is a standard procedure for initial casualty evacuation from the point of injury to the medical aid or evacuation zone and is generally done on foot. Using an assistive device during litter transport could decrease fatigue and increase the litter bearer's ability to carry the litter, provide critical care, and sustain Warfighter tasks. Improvements in these capabilities are critical with upcoming large scale combat operations (LSCO) and multi-domain operations (MDO), which could extend distance and duration away from medical evacuation zones or definitive medical treatment. We examined the effects of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) assistive device use (i.e., shoulder harness and wrist hooks) on litter bearer performance and post-carry fatigue during simulated prolonged care and transport scenarios. Assistive device usage resulted in positive benefits to litter carry distance, grip strength, and spinal posture during the litter carriage task. The use of an assistive device also demonstrated limited benefit to muscular fatigue. Overall, the study outcomes demonstrated that an assistive device 2-person litter carry technique could replace the traditional unassisted 4-person litter carry technique in remote and mass casualty scenarios.