Objectives: The purpose of this analysis was to describe and compare the incidence and pattern of musculoskeletal injuries in women and men during the United States Marine Corps Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force work-up and assessment phases in sex-integrated units.
Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.
Methods: Certified athletic trainers and Navy corpsmen reported injury data for 302 Marines (women: 27.8%, men: 72.2%). Injury frequency, location, cause, type, and activity during injury were described. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare proportions of injured women and men. The cost of injuries was calculated using the Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System.
Results: A greater proportion of women (40.5%) sustained an injury compared with men (18.8%, p < 0.001). The lower extremity was the most frequent location for injury (women: 68% of injuries, men: 60%). The most frequent sub-location was the hip (24%) in women and foot/toes (26%) in men. Marching under load was the most common cause (women: 64%, men: 48%). Most injuries occurred during physical training (women: 78%, men: 66%), and were classified as pain/spasm/ache (women: 56%, men: 36%). The total lifetime cost of these injuries that occurred among 302 Marines was approximately $1.4 million U.S. dollars.
Conclusions: The high risk of lower extremity injuries that occurred while marching under load during physical training, and the greater risk of injuries among women compared to men, indicates the need for further research to identify the components of combat Military Occupational Specialty specific training that could be modified to mitigate injuries.
Keywords: Epidemiology; Incidence; Military personnel; Public health.
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