598 A D-A 268 689 Fitness, Age, and Injuries in Soldiers. Knapik et al Physical Fitness, Age, and Injury Incidence in Infantry Soldiers

Bruce Jones, MPH, MD W • year. Annually, more than 2 millionBr e JAmericans sustain injuries severe enough for hospitalization, and al-Injuries are a common occurrence in young, active civilian and,nilitary most half are between 15 and 44 years populations. This study examined injurY incidence and the association of of age. ' Injuries are the fourth leading musculoskeletal injuries with age and physical fitness in soldiers. Subjects cause of death in Americans of all were a cohort of 298 male soldiers assigned to an infantry battalion in ages2 and the leading cause of death Alaska. The soldiers ' ages were obtained from the battalion records and in persons younger than age 44.3 their physical fitness was assessed.from 2-mile run times, sit-ups, and push- These national statistics do not in-ups. Injuries were documented from a retrospective review of the soldiers ' dude military populations. ' Injury medical records.1br a 6-month period (October to March) bet bre the fitness rates may be expected to be high in testing. Fifty-one percent of the soldiers suffered one or more injuries. The the military because of the younger.1fe age of soldiers " and the vigorous na-most common injury diagnosis was musculoskeletalpain,.fllowedb ' strains, aue of mlitry i and Io a-sprains, and cold-related injuries. Soldiers experienced a total of 212 separate tional activities. Several studies have injuries, which resulted in 1764 days oflimited duti. The crude annualized shown a high incidence of injuries in injury rate was 142 injuries per 100 soldiers (one soldier could experience basic training5 9 and in large heterog-more than one type of injury.). The proportion of soldiers injured decreased enous military units that contai