In the military field, clothing plays a crucial role in the safety and performance of soldiers. Proper clothing not only provides protection but also influences the regulation of body temperature, a vital factor during operations. The human body has physiological mechanisms to maintain an optimal temperature, but these can be affected by the type of clothing used, especially in situations of exercise or intense physical activity.

Combat jackets, an essential piece of military uniform, can significantly influence the body's ability to dissipate heat. This is important because inadequate temperature regulation can lead to conditions such as hyperthermia, dehydration, or even rhabdomyolysis, a severe syndrome caused by muscle injury.

To better understand how different types of combat jackets affect the skin temperature of soldiers, we present a study by Mello et al., (2022) which also utilized Thermohuman software.

The Impact of Two Combat Jackets

The main objective of Mello et al. (2022) study was to compare the skin temperature response in Brazilian military personnel using two different types of combat jackets: the Traditional Combat Jacket (TCJ) and the Light Combat Jacket (LCJ), under thermoneutral conditions. The study could help determine which of the two jackets allows better temperature regulation during moderate physical activity.

For this study, 39 Brazilian Navy soldiers aged 24 to 36 years participated. The skin temperature of the participants was measured using a FLIR® E75 infrared camera. Measurements were taken at three different times:

• before exercise (PRE)
• immediately after exercise (POST)
• 20 minutes after exercise (POST-20).

Participants randomly wore the TCJ and LCJ while walking on a treadmill at a speed of 6 km/h for 20 minutes. The thermal images obtained were processed with ThermoHuman® software, and the data were analyzed with statistical techniques to evaluate differences in skin temperature in various body regions.

Main results

The results showed that skin temperature significantly decreased 20 minutes after exercise compared to measurements taken before and immediately after exercise, regardless of the type of jacket used. This suggests that both types of jackets allow similar thermal regulation under test conditions.

However, a notable thermal asymmetry was observed in some body regions, such as the left foot arch, where the temperature was significantly different (around 2.0 ºC) compared to the right side. These differences could be due to factors such as posture and additional equipment carried by soldiers, such as weapons.

Conclusions

• Both the Traditional Combat Jacket (TCJ) and the Light Combat Jacket (LCJ) showed similar performance in terms of skin temperature regulation under thermoneutral conditions and during moderate physical activity.
• The detected thermal asymmetries suggest the need for further research to better understand the causes of these differences and optimize the design of military gear.
• The study results provide valuable information for the design of military clothing, with the aim of improving thermal regulation, safety, and comfort of soldiers in various operational conditions.

References

1. Davis, Jon-Kyle y Phillip A. Bishop. "Impact of clothing on exercise in the heat." Sports medicine 43.8 (2013): 695-706.
2. Mello, D., Canabarro, B. H., Poiatti, J. V., Rebouças, G., Mendes, J., Azeredo, V., ... & Quintana, M. S. (2022). The Impact Of Two Different Combat Jackets On Skin Temperature Under Thermoneutral Ambient Conditions: 542. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 54(9S), 137.
3. Moreira, Danilo Gomes, et al. "Thermographic imaging in sports and exercise medicine: A Delphi study and consensus statement on the measurement of human skin temperature." Journal of Thermal Biology 69 (2017): 155-162.