Intrinsic risk factors for exercise-related injuries among male and female army trainees

Physical training-related injuries are common among army recruits and other vigorously active populations, but little is known about their causation. To identify intrinsic risk factors, we prospectively measured 391 army trainees. For 8 weeks of basic training, 124 men and 186 women (79.3%) were stu...

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Published inThe American journal of sports medicine Vol. 21; no. 5; p. 705
Main Authors Jones, B H, Bovee, M W, Harris, 3rd, J M, Cowan, D N
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.09.1993
Subjects
Adult
Body Constitution
Body Height
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Exercise
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Fractures, Stress - epidemiology
Humans
Life Style
Low Back Pain - epidemiology
Male
Massachusetts - epidemiology
Military Personnel
Motor Activity
Physical Education and Training
Physical Fitness
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Sports - statistics & numerical data
Sprains and Strains - epidemiology
Tendinopathy - epidemiology
Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology
Massachusetts
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Summary:Physical training-related injuries are common among army recruits and other vigorously active populations, but little is known about their causation. To identify intrinsic risk factors, we prospectively measured 391 army trainees. For 8 weeks of basic training, 124 men and 186 women (79.3%) were studied. They answered questionnaires on past activities and sports participation, and were measured for height, weight, and body fat percentage; 71% of the subjects took an initial army physical training test. Women had a significantly higher incidence of time-loss injuries than men, 44.6% compared with 29.0%. During training, more time-loss injuries occurred among the 50% of the men who were slower on the mile run, 29.0% versus 0.0%. Slower women were likewise at greater risk than faster ones, 38.2% versus 18.5%. Men with histories of inactivity and with higher body mass index were at greater injury risk than other men, as were the shortest women. We conclude that female gender and low aerobic fitness measured by run times are risk factors for training injuries in army trainees, and that other factors such as prior activity levels and stature may affect men and women differently.
ISSN:0363-5465
1552-3365
DOI:10.1177/036354659302100512