When compared to male soldiers, how do female soldiers perform in load carriage at similar absolute loads?

When analyzing the performance of female soldiers in load carriage compared to male soldiers at similar absolute loads, it is observed that female soldiers generally tend to perform worse. This performance disparity can be attributed to various physiological differences that exist between sexes, including muscle mass, body composition, and aerobic capacity.

Male soldiers typically have a higher relative muscle mass and are able to generate more power and strength, which may affect their ability to carry loads more efficiently. Women, on average, tend to have lower muscle mass and potentially different movement biomechanics, which can lead to greater fatigue or a higher metabolic cost during load carriage tasks.

These factors contribute to the decreased performance noted in female soldiers when carrying similar absolute loads. The findings suggest that while training and conditioning can improve performance, inherent physiological differences still play a significant role in load carriage effectiveness.