Musculoskeletal sports medicine injuries in special operations forces soldiers

Abstract

Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) normally related to sports occur to a large degree during physical activity in soldiers from special operations forces (SOF) and are the leading course for disability in military personnel. Efforts to prevent these injuries have been initiated through human performance optimization programs in several SOF´s. However, to provide the best conditions for the development of such strategies initially a comprehensive description of the injury epidemiology in this very unique population is required. Overall, studies indicate that more than half of SOF Operators—who have training amounts similar to elite athletes—experience one sports‐related injury per year, and the most common sites of injury are the shoulder, lumbar spine, and knee. Around half the injuries are acute, and the other 50% are chronic injuries. Although the type of injury is mapped, there is a lack of data regarding causes, mechanisms, and severity of injuries.