Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 4-25-2025
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Biomedical Engineering
First Advisor
Troy Drewry
Second Advisor
Thomas Werfel
Third Advisor
Glenn Walker
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
As senior biomedical engineering students at the University of Mississippi, we began our academic year brainstorming unmet clinical needs in healthcare intending to provide an innovative solution. After conducting personal inventories, determining a mission, and evaluating internal and external factors, we established acceptance criteria for our strategic focus and clarified our needs statement: develop a prophylactic device for chronic musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) in active-duty servicewomen (ADSW). The average female soldier is at a disadvantage compared to her male counterpart due to anthropometric and physiological differences between men and women in most aspects of physical performance (Epstein et al. 2673). These differences are exacerbated by ill-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) that is designed to suit male ergonomics, considering the large body of evidence that female soldiers are unsatisfied with the fit, form, and function of military vests specifically (Coltman et al., Identifying Problems 1). To address this problem, we researched potential materials and methods to design a vest that takes female soldiers’ safety, efficiency, performance, and military readiness into account. Adjusting vests typically issued to female soldiers for improved fit, enhanced mobility, breast support, reduced weight and bulk, resistance to chafing and irritation, adjustability, and cleanability using principles of physiology and bioinstrumentation, we hope to expand our patient population to all women in law enforcement that require PPE at risk for MSKIs.
Recommended Citation
Watson, Celia; Tidwell, Denver; and Obaji, Hadi, "Providing a Solution For Active-Duty Servicewomen Facing Chronic Musculoskeletal Injuries Due To Improper Gear Fit" (2025). Honors Theses. 3352.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3352