The effects of protective clothing (PPC) on metabolic rate were investigated
in the first study of this thesis. Significant increases in the metabolic cost of
work were found wearing a range of PPC and a number of suggestions put
forward, following observations from the study and the literature, as to the
possible factors that might be contributing to this increase. Subsequently
weight and its distribution on the waist and limbs was studied, with results
suggesting that the weight of the protective garments would have had an
effect on the metabolic rate. However the results from the weight study
could not account for all of the metabolic rate increases recorded in the PPC
garments, unless it would be assumed all weight was located at the wrists
and ankles, which seems rather unrealistic.
Another concept suggested by a number of authors who also found similar
increases in energy cost / oxygen consumption in PPC is that of a friction
drag between layers, frictional resistance as one layer slides over another
during movement. Despite being mentioned in the discussion and
conclusions of a number of papers only one study has been found on the
contribution of clothing friction and its effects on performance. However the
study predominantly looked at task performance measures rather than
energy cost / metabolic rate