Date
8-20-2026
Department
School of Health Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Sciences (PhD)
Chair
Theodore Croy
Keywords
MOXY Monitor, near-infrared spectroscopy, physiological-limiters, tactical personnel, feasibility, mixed-methods
Disciplines
Health and Physical Education | Sports Sciences
Recommended Citation
Moravec, Richard, "Assessing Physiological-Limiters and Technology Acceptance in Tactical Personnel During a Loaded Treadmill Test: A Feasibility Study Using the MOXY Monitor" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8847.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8847
Abstract
Tactical personnel operate in physically demanding environments that require sustained aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and resilience during load carriage. Traditional performance assessments offer limited insight into the physiological systems that constrain performance during occupationally relevant tasks. This convergent mixed-methods feasibility study evaluated the physiological utility and technology acceptance of the MOXY Monitor muscle oxygen sensor during a loaded treadmill test using the 5-1-5 assessment protocol among tactical personnel. Twenty-five male participants completed a progressive loaded treadmill test while carrying a 60-pound rucksack. Physiological metrics included muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) in the vastus lateralis and biceps brachii, total hemoglobin (THb), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Participants also completed a modified Technology Acceptance Model survey assessing perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioral intention to use, followed by open-ended qualitative questions. Quantitative analyses included repeated-measures ANOVA, nonparametric group comparisons, chi-square analysis, Spearman correlations, and multiple regression. Qualitative responses were analyzed using thematic analysis and integrated with quantitative findings through a joint display. The primary physiological finding was a significant bout-by-limiter interaction for vastus lateralis SmO2, indicating that microvascular kinetic changes in SmO2 differed by MOXY-derived physiological-limiter classification. Qualitative findings supported the conditional feasibility of the MOXY Monitor in tactical physical training settings while emphasizing the need for criterion validation, protocol refinement, and reliability research.
