Determination of Orientation and Practice Requirements When Using an Obstacle Course for Mobility Performance Assessment.

Objective: Determine effect of orientation (introduction and familiarization) and practice (repeated performance) on human performance under various load conditions as assessed by an obstacle course.

Background: Obstacle courses are commonly used as screening tools by military, police, and firefighters or to assess human capabilities and the effect of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other occupationally necessary equipment on mobility task performance. Unfortunately, little is formally documented about the effect of orientation and practice on performance outcomes of obstacle or mobility courses being used.