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Gender differences in limited duty time for lower limb injury
K K Holsteen1, Y S Choi2, S A Bedno3
1Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA.
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|December 22, 2017
Summary
Lower limb injuries significantly impact military readiness, causing nearly 13% of service days to be limited. Female soldiers experience disproportionately more limited duty for these injuries, particularly knee injuries.
Area of Science:
- Military medicine
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Occupational health
Background:
- Lower limb musculoskeletal injuries are common in active-duty military personnel due to physical training.
- These injuries disproportionately affect female soldiers.
- The large-scale impact on temporary military occupational disability is not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- Quantify service time lost due to lower limb injury-related limited duty.
- Characterize limited duty by lower limb region.
- Compare limited duty time between male and female soldiers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized administrative data and limited duty assignments (profiles) for active-duty US Army personnel in 2014.
- Calculated the percentage of person-time with duty limitations due to lower limb injuries.
- Analyzed data by gender and body region.
Main Results:
- Nearly 13% of total service days required limited duty for lower limb injuries.
- Knee injuries accounted for 45% of limited duty days.
- Female soldiers experienced 27-57% more limited duty time for lower limb injuries compared to men.
Conclusions:
- Significant limited duty underscores the need for improved injury screening, prevention, and treatment, especially for knee injuries.
- The higher impact on female soldiers requires focused surveillance, particularly in gender-integrated training environments.
