The Role of Gender and Physical Performance on Injuries: An Army Study

• Published in: American journal of preventive medicine 2017-05, Vol.52 (5), p.e131-e138
• Main Authors: Anderson, Morgan K., MPH, Grier, Tyson, MS, Dada, Esther O., MPH, Canham-Chervak, Michelle, PhD, Jones, Bruce H., MD, MPH
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Exercise - physiology; Female; Humans; Internal Medicine; Logistic Models; Male; Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Physical Conditioning, Human - adverse effects; Physical Conditioning, Human - methods; Physical Endurance - physiology; Physical Fitness - physiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Task Performance and Analysis; United States; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0749-3797; 1873-2607
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.11.012

Introduction 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.