Potentiated peak twitch of knee extensors (KE) and plantar flexors (PF), and M-wave characteristics of <i>vastus lateralis</i> (<i>VL</i>) and <i>soleus</i> (<i>SOL</i>) muscles, before (PRE) and after (POST) the Simulated Military Mission.

<p>Data are presented as mean ± SD.</p

Energy cost of walking in Sport (SP), Battle (BT) and Road March (RM) conditions, before (PRE) and after (POST) the Simulated Military Mission.

<p>Values are presented as mean ± SD. ANOVA <i>P</i> values represent the main effects of time (T) and equipment (E), and the interaction effect (T×E). Post-hoc results are presented as:</p>£<p>SP< BT < RM;</p>#<p>SP< BT = RM;</p>$<p>SP> RM.</p><p><i>C</i>_W: energy cost of walking; <i>C</i>_W.TM: energy cost of walking normalized to the total mass (TM) moving on the treadmill, i.e. subject plus equipment.</p

Neuromuscular parameters measured in the plantar flexors (PF) before (PRE) and after (POST) the mission.

<p>a. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC); b. Potentiated high-frequency doublet (PDb100); c. Ratio of paired stimulation peak forces at 10 Hz to 100 Hz (Db10∶100); d. Voluntary activation level (%VA). ***<i>P</i><0.001.</p

Spatio-temporal and kinetic parameters of walking in Sport (SP), Battle (BT) and Road March (RM) conditions, before (PRE) and after (POST) the Simulated Military Mission.

<p>Values are presented as mean ± SD. ANOVA <i>P</i> values represent the main effects of time (T) and equipment (E), and the interaction effect (T×E). Post-hoc results are presented as:</p>$<p>SP = BT > RM;</p>£<p>SP< BT < RM;</p>#<p>SP< BT = RM;</p>&<p>SP = BT < RM.</p><p><i>W</i>_ext: external mechanical work; <i>W</i>_ext.TM: external mechanical work normalized to the total moving mass (TM), i.e. subject + equipment; Recovery: fraction of mechanical energy of the center of mass recovered via the inverted pendulum mechanism; <i>W</i>_int,dc: mechanical work done by one leg against the other leg during double contact; <i>W</i>_int,dc.TM: mechanical work done by one leg against the other leg during double contact normalized to TM; Locomotor efficiency: ratio of mechanical works (<i>W</i>_ext and <i>W</i>_int,dc) to net <i>C</i>_W.</p

Typical heart rate (HR) of a subject throughout the protocol.

<p>Figure includes the 21-h simulated military mission (SMM) and the pre-SMM (PRE) and post-SMM (POST) measurement sessions. Altitude, chronology and equipment conditions are inserted on and under the HR graph as indicative data. BT: battle equipment (27.4±1.1 kg corresponding to 33.4±2.6% of the subjects’ BM), RM: road march equipment (42.9±1.4 kg, corresponding to 52.2±4.2% BM).</p

Neuromuscular parameters measured in the knee extensors (KE) before (PRE) and after (POST) the mission.

<p>a. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC); b. Potentiated high-frequency doublet (PDb100); c. Ratio of paired stimulation peak forces at 10 Hz to 100 Hz (Db10∶100); d. Voluntary activation level (%VA). *<i>P</i><0.05, **<i>P</i><0.01.</p