Abstract:

BACKGROUND: If human back takes too heavy objects for long time, a series of injury problems would occur. At present, there have been few studies describing the biomechanics of human loading gait.
OBJECTIVE: To review the gait parameter changes, reaction force changes, pressure sensors and EMG applications in human loading gait.
METHODS: A computer-based retrieval was performed by the first author using the key words "gait, load carriage, backpack" to search the manuscripts published between 2005-2010 describing "weight loading, walking and packpack" in Chinese and English. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The current studies regarding loading walking are concluded as follows: all indicators are relatively simple and comprehensive studies are not enough. There are more studies regarding young people and children and there are few studies regarding soldiers who bear loads in marching. There are more studies regarding weight-bearing waling gait, backpack commercial test, and there are few studies describing the biomechanical mechanism of loading-caused injury as well foot pressure change and biomechanical test of shoes. Some studies have conflicting conclusions, resulting in unclear mechanism underlying effects of loading gait on human gait.