What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to explore how load per kilogram of body mass affects dynamic postural stability in recreationally active adults.

February 12, 2026Open Access

The Impact of Relative Load on Dynamic Postural Stability in Recreationally Active Adults: Implications for Tactical Readiness

Key Points

This study aims to explore how load per kilogram of body mass affects dynamic postural stability in recreationally active adults.
Conducted a cross-sectional study with 33 recreationally active adults.
Participants performed single-leg landing tasks under loaded and unloaded conditions.
Dynamic postural stability index was calculated using ground reaction force data.
Analyzed the relationship between DPSI percentage difference and load per kilogram of body mass using moderated multiple regression.
No significant moderator effect was found in DPSI percentage difference based on biological sex.
A significant positive linear relationship was identified between DPSI percentage difference and load per kilogram of body mass.
Females did not show significantly higher DPSI percentage difference compared to males.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) continue to be a significant challenge in military populations. Load carriage is cited as a key contributor to postural stability (PS) impairments and therefore may contribute to injury risk. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of load per kilogram of body mass (LpBM) on dynamic postural stability index (DPSI) percentage difference between unloaded and loaded conditions, while moderating for biological sex. Methods: Thirty-three recreationally active adults (16 males, 17 females) participated in a cross-sectional study. Each participant performed single-leg landing (SLL) tasks under unloaded and loaded conditions, and DPSI was calculated using ground reaction force data collected over the first three seconds post-landing. The loaded condition (22–23 kg, varies based on helmet and vest size) required individuals to wear a full combat load. A moderated multiple regression with robust standard errors was run to determine whether the relationship between percentage difference in DPSI between unloaded and loaded conditions and LpBM carried is different for female and male participants. Results: There was not a statistically significant moderator effect of the DPSI percentage difference, as evidenced by the addition of the interaction term explaining an additional 0.94% of the total variance, p < 0.643. Follow-up standard multiple regressions revealed that there was a statistically significant positive linear relationship (0.887 ± 0.320) between DPSI percentage difference and LpBM (p = 0.010). It was also observed that females did not have statistically significantly higher DPSI percentage difference than males (1.210 ± 4.392, p = 0.785). Conclusions: The results suggest that as LpBM increases, stability becomes more difficult to maintain. These findings highlight the importance of considering relative load when assessing injury risk and designing load carriage training protocols in tactical populations.

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