Epidemiology of Exercise- and Sports-Related Injuries in a Population of Young, Physically Active Adults A Survey of Military Servicemembers

Background:Numerous studies document the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle, but relatively few document the hazards of physical activity. Because of the requirement for physical fitness to complete their mission, the United States military services have a vested interest in understanding the benefits and risks of physical activity including exercise and sports. One of these risks is injury. Rates and proportion of injuries caused by exercise- and sports-related (ESR) activities have not been reported previously across the services.Purpose:The purposes of this population survey were to (1) document the rates and proportion of all injuries caused by ESR activities among military personnel, (2) compare rates across the military services, and (3) describe the causes and types of ESR injuries as well as associated days of limited activity.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:The Defense Manpower Data Center administered the web-based 2008 Status of Forces Survey of Active Duty Ser...