Breeze John, Clasper Jon C
Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham Research Park, Birmingham, B15 2SQ, United Kingdom.
Mil Med. 2013 Aug;178(8):899-903. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-13-00130.
Neck injuries from explosively propelled fragments are present in 11% of injured U.K. soldiers and result in significant mortality and long-term morbidity. U.S. forces in contrast sustain only neck wounds in 3 to 4% of those injured, which is believed to be because of their greater acceptance in the wearing of issued neck protection.
A three-piece neck collar, two-piece neck collar, a nape pad, a ballistic scarf, and an enhanced protection under body armor shirt (EP-UBACS) reinforced at the collar were objectively compared during a treadmill test using physiological measurements. Designs were subjectively compared regarding their effect on soldier performance using representative military tasks.
Both neck collars and the EP-UBACS prototype demonstrated 90% acceptability in terms of military task performance. No statistical difference in tympanic temperature and heart rate was found between prototypes. The statistically significant higher skin temperatures found for prototypes lying close to the skin (EP-UBACS and ballistic scarf) were unrelated to perceived comfort.
Neck collars remain the most successful design in terms of military performance, comfort, and potential levels of ballistic protection. However the EP-UBACS concept should also be developed further, with future iterations potentially removing the zip and increasing skin standoff.
在受伤的英国士兵中，11% 存在因爆炸推进碎片导致的颈部损伤，这些损伤会导致显著的死亡率和长期发病率。相比之下，美军受伤人员中只有 3% 至 4% 有颈部伤口，据信这是因为他们更愿意佩戴发放的颈部防护装备。
在跑步机测试中，通过生理测量对三件式颈托、两件式颈托、颈背垫、防弹围巾以及领口处加固的增强型防弹背心（EP - UBACS）进行客观比较。使用代表性军事任务，就这些设计对士兵表现的影响进行主观比较。
颈托和 EP - UBACS 原型在军事任务表现方面的可接受度均为 90%。各原型之间在鼓膜温度和心率方面未发现统计学差异。靠近皮肤的原型（EP - UBACS 和防弹围巾）皮肤温度在统计学上显著较高，但与感知舒适度无关。
就军事性能、舒适度和潜在的防弹水平而言，颈托仍然是最成功的设计。然而，EP - UBACS 的概念也应进一步开发，未来的迭代版本可能去掉拉链并增加皮肤间距。
