Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion
Published on: April 11, 2018
Association Between Markerless Motion Capture Screenings and Musculoskeletal Injury Risk for Military Trainees: A
Ben R Hando1, W Casan Scott1, Jacob F Bryant1
1US Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, Texas, USA.
Background:
Markerless motion capture (MMC) systems used to screen for musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) risk have become popular in military and collegiate athletic settings. However, little is known regarding the test-retest reliability or, more importantly, the ability of these systems to accurately identify individuals at risk for MSKI.
Purpose:
To determine the association between scores from a proprietary MMC movement screen test and the likelihood of suffering a subsequent MSKI and establish the test-retest reliability of the MMC system used.
Study Design:
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
Trainees for the Air Force Special Warfare program underwent MMC screenings immediately before entering the 8-week training course. MSKI data were extracted from a database for the surveillance period for each trainee. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associations between baseline MMC scores and the likelihood of suffering any MSKI or, specifically, a lower extremity MSKI. The test-retest portion of the study collected MMC scores from 10 separate participants performing 4 trials of the standard test procedures. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients by a single rater.
Results:
Overall, 1570 trainees, of whom 800 (51%) suffered an MSKI, were included in the analysis. MMC scores poorly predicted the likelihood of any or a lower extremity MSKI (odds ratio, 1.01-1.02). Further, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated poor sensitivity and specificity for prediction of MSKI with MMC scores (area under the curve = 0.53). Finally, intraclass correlation coefficients from the test-retest analysis of MMC scores ranged from 0.157 to 0.602.
Conclusion:
This MMC system displayed poor to moderate test-retest reliability and did not demonstrate the ability to discriminate between individuals who were and were not likely to suffer an MSKI.
