title: The Role of Gender and Physical Performance on Injuries: An Army Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In basic combat training, women experience twice as many injuries as men; however, evidence at the operational Army level is limited. This study aims to investigate the association between gender and injury likelihood while controlling for certain confounding factors in the operational Army.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were analyzed in 2015 from a cross-sectional study utilizing data from a 2010-2011 survey of light infantry Army Soldiers. Gender, age, body fat, tobacco use, Army Physical Fitness Test (2-mile run, push-ups, and sit-ups), occupational physical demand, and injury data were obtained via paper survey. ORs and 95% CIs from a multivariable analysis were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surveys were completed by 4,384 male and 363 female Soldiers. Injury incidence was 42% for men and 53% for women. After adjusting for the aforementioned variables, injury likelihood was higher in Soldiers aged ≥27 years (OR [age 27-29/22-26 years]=1.26, 95% CI=1.07, 1.48; OR [age ≥30/22-26 years]=1.28, 95% CI=1.08, 1.51), Soldiers with body fat ≥23.38% (OR [body fat ≥23.38%/≤19.28%]=1.30, 95% CI=1.08, 1.57), and Soldiers with the slowest 2-mile run times (OR [≥15.68/≤14.13 minutes]=1.53, 95% CI=1.26, 1.85). Women were no more likely than men to sustain an injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When accounting for age, body fat, physical performance, and occupational physical demand, there was no gender difference in the likelihood of injury among Soldiers. Although women, on average, have lower aerobic and muscular performance than men, results suggest men and women of similar physical performance experience similar injury likelihood.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Epidemiology and Disease Portfolio, Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Electronic address: usarmy.apg.medcom-phc.mbx.injuryprevention@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Morgan K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Epidemiology and Disease Portfolio, Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
authors.forename: Tyson
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grier
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Epidemiology and Disease Portfolio, Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
authors.forename: Esther O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Dada
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Epidemiology and Disease Portfolio, Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canham-Chervak
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Epidemiology and Disease Portfolio, Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult