Preventing Injuries in Young Soldiers with Training
Author Information
Author(s): Jari Parkkari, Henri Taanila, Jaana Suni, Ville M Mattila, Olli Ohrankämmen, Petteri Vuorinen, Pekka Kannus, Harri Pihlajamäki
Primary Institution: Tampere Research Centre of Sports Medicine, UKK Institute
Hypothesis
A neuromuscular training programme with injury prevention counselling is effective in preventing acute musculoskeletal injuries in young men during military service.
Conclusion
The study found that a neuromuscular training and injury prevention counselling programme effectively reduced acute ankle and upper-extremity injuries in young male army conscripts.
Supporting Evidence
- The intervention group had significantly fewer ankle injuries compared to the control group.
- The risk of upper-extremity injuries also decreased significantly in the intervention group.
- Compliance with the training programme was high, with 83% attendance after the initial training period.
Takeaway
This study shows that special training can help young soldiers avoid getting hurt while they are in the military.
Methodology
The study was a population-based, randomised trial involving two cohorts of male conscripts followed for 6 months, with one group receiving neuromuscular training and injury prevention counselling.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the inability to blind participants and instructors to group assignments.
Limitations
The study lacked individual randomisation and full double blinding, and the findings may only apply to young men due to the low number of female participants.
Participant Demographics
The participants were male conscripts aged 18 to 28 years, with a median age of 19.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.011
Confidence Interval
0.15 to 0.78
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website