Identification of specific activities associated with fall-related injuries, active component, U.S. Army, 2011

Although falls continue to be a leading mechanism of serious injuries among military populations, interventions must target activities or hazards that can be controlled or managed. This project aimed to identify activities most frequently associated with Army soldier fall-related injuries to prioritize prevention strategies for this substantial health burden. Narrative data from Army safety, medical evacuation, and casualty reporting systems were reviewed to select incidents meeting inclusion criteria and assign established codes. Nondeployed (n=988) and deployed (n=254) injury rates were not statistically different (2.20 per 1,000 non-deployed person-years [p-yrs], 2.21 per 1,000 deployed p-yrs, respectively). More than 75% of injuries were temporarily disabling fractures, sprains, and strains, primarily to lower extremities. The most frequent activities associated with non-deployed fall injuries were sports (e.g., snowboarding and basketball; 22%), parachuting (20%), walking/marching (19%), and climbing (15%). Ice and snow were the leading hazard (43%). The most common associated activities among deployed soldiers were occupational tasks (53%), walking/patrolling (24%), climbing (23%), and sports (17%). Specific interventions that target the activities and hazards identified in this investigation are suggested as priorities to reduce Army fall-related injuries.