title: Observed Rates of Lower Extremity Stress Fractures After Implementation of the Army Physical Readiness Training Program at JBSA Fort Sam Houston.
abstract: Millions of dollars are lost each year to the US military in medical discharges from injuries sustained in the initial training of recruits. Most medical discharges in recruits are related to musculoskeletal overuse injuries, including stress fractures. Any strategies that can reduce injury rates are also likely to reduce rates of medical discharge. This study evaluated the Army Physical Readiness Training (PRT) program which was established to provide a method of physical fitness training that would reduce the number of preventable injuries. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the number of lower extremity stress fractures that were diagnosed in the 6 months prior to and 6 months following the implementation of the PRT program. Electronic medical records were queried for specific diagnoses of stress fractures to the pelvis, femoral neck, femoral shaft, tibia, fibula, tarsals and metatarsals. The observed number of diagnoses in each time period were compared using the χ² method. Decrease was shown not only in the overall occurrence of stress fractures, but specifically in the occurrence of stress fractures of the femoral neck, femoral shaft, and tarsals. Our study was able to show a correlation between the PRT program and a decrease in the observed occurrence of lower extremity stress fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Brooke Army Medical Center, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
authors.forename: Robyn L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Chalupa
authors.forename: Curtis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aberle
authors.forename: Anthony E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D050281:Bones of Lower Extremity / Q000293:injuries*; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013781:Texas
keywords: Army physical training; injury rates; recruits; stress fracture