Department of Orthopedics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Department of Orthopedics, New York University Langone Orthopedic Hospital, New York, NY 10014, USA.
Mil Med. 2024 Aug 19;189(Suppl 3):624-627. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usae203.
Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) pose a significant problem for active duty service members (ADSMs). MSIs may compromise readiness and are one of the main reasons for separation from the Navy and long-term disability. Implementation of optimal treatment strategies rests on understanding the characteristics of MSI complaints in a given population. This study reports on the frequency and nature of MSI complaints of ADSMs seeking care at a military treatment facility (MTF).
As part of a larger quasi-experimental study, data on MSIs from ADSMs reporting to an MTF were collected. Subjects completed a baseline questionnaire during an initial evaluation, including the self-reported MSIs for which participants were seeking care, time since onset, and other MSI comorbidities.
Of the 289 respondents, 118 (41%) were female and 172 (59%) were male. The mean age was 33 years (SD = 8). The most frequently reported injury was low-back pain (n = 79, 27%), followed by knee pain (n = 60, 21%) and shoulder pain (n = 55, 19%). Thirty-four (12%) respondents reported injuries to the ankle or foot. The remaining respondents (21%) reported injuries to the neck, mid-back, arm or hand, hip, or other. Sixty-five (22%) reported an acute/subacute injury of less than 3 months, whereas 224 (78%) reported chronic injury >3 months. Furthermore, MSI comorbidities were reported by 233 (80%) of respondents with 128 of those reporting more than one.
Back and knee injuries were most prevalent in ADSMs reporting an MSI at a Navy shore-based MTF. Shoulder injuries were also common. Of interest, 80% of ADSMs reported at least one MSI comorbidity and 80% reported chronic injury in this study. These rates are higher than those found in a previous study of ADSMs deployed on a carrier. This is notable because chronicity and multiple MSIs are obstacles to readiness. Our findings suggest that ADSMs reporting to shore-based facilities may be at higher risk for disability than their deployed counterparts. This information is important to the development of targeted care to improve readiness in this population.
肌肉骨骼损伤（MSIs）是现役军人（ADSMs）面临的重大问题。MSIs 可能会影响战备状态，是导致从海军退役和长期残疾的主要原因之一。实施最佳治疗策略取决于了解特定人群中 MSI 投诉的特征。本研究报告了在军事治疗设施（MTF）寻求治疗的 ADSM 发生 MSI 投诉的频率和性质。
作为一项更大的准实验研究的一部分，收集了在 MTF 报到的 ADSM 发生 MSI 的数据。受试者在初始评估期间完成了基线问卷，包括他们正在接受治疗的自我报告的 MSI、发病时间和其他 MSI 合并症。
在 289 名受访者中，有 118 名（41%）为女性，172 名（59%）为男性。平均年龄为 33 岁（SD=8）。报告频率最高的损伤是下腰痛（n=79，27%），其次是膝痛（n=60，21%）和肩痛（n=55，19%）。34 名（12%）受访者报告踝关节或足部受伤。其余的（21%）受访者报告颈部、中背部、手臂或手部、臀部或其他部位受伤。65 名（22%）受访者报告急性/亚急性损伤不到 3 个月，而 224 名（78%）报告慢性损伤>3 个月。此外，233 名（80%）受访者报告了 MSI 合并症，其中 128 名报告了一种以上的合并症。
在报告海军岸上 MTF 发生肌肉骨骼损伤的 ADSM 中，背部和膝部损伤最为常见。肩部损伤也很常见。有趣的是，在这项研究中，80%的 ADSM 报告至少有一种 MSI 合并症，80%报告慢性损伤。这些比率高于在对航母部署的 ADSM 进行的先前研究中发现的比率。这值得注意，因为慢性和多发性 MSI 是战备的障碍。我们的研究结果表明，在岸上设施报到的 ADSM 可能比部署人员更容易残疾。这些信息对于制定针对这一人群的有针对性的护理措施以提高战备能力非常重要。
