Citation

Lennox GM, Wood PM, Schram B, Canetti EFD, Simas V, Pope R, Orr R. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022; 19(1): e422.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph19010422

PMID

35010681

Abstract

A fracture, being an acquired rupture or break of the bone, is a significant and debilitating injury commonly seen among athletes and military personnel. Stress fractures, which have a repetitive stress aetiology, are highly prevalent among military populations, especially those undergoing training. The primary aim of this review is to identify non-modifiable risk factors for stress fractures in military personnel undergoing training. A systematic search was conducted of three major databases to identify studies that explored risk factors for stress fractures in military trainees. Critical appraisal, data extraction, and a narrative synthesis were conducted. Sixteen articles met the eligibility criteria for the study. Key non-modifiable risk factors identified were prior stress fracture and menstrual dysfunction, while advancing age and race other than black race may be a risk factor. To reduce the incidence of stress fractures in military trainees, mitigating modifiable risk factors among individuals with non-modifiable risk factors (e.g., optimising conditioning for older trainees) or better accommodating non-modifiable factors (for example, extending training periods and reducing intensity to facilitate recovery and adaptation) are suggested, with focus on groups at increased risk identified in this review.

Language: en

Keywords

air-force; army; bone; defence; navy; recruits; stress fracture; trainees