Sports and Recreational Injuries in Relation to Lost Duty Time Among Deployed U.S. Marine Corps Personnel

Abstract : This study examined leisure-time sports injuries and lost duty time among U.S. Marines deployed in Iraq. All sports and recreational injuries in Iraq during 2004 2006 were identified from the Combat Trauma Database, in which all in-theater medical treatment was recorded. The study population consisted of 555 Marines who sought treatment for a sports injury during this period. The majority of cases were men aged 21 25 years with a high school education and mid-range enlisted rank. Demographic and military descriptors were related to the type of sports activity engaged in when injured, but had little association with injury characteristics. Type of sports activity, however, was associated with anatomical site of injury, injury mechanism, type of injury, and injury severity. Over 60% of sports injuries occurred during weightlifting, aerobics, and basketball. Some loss of duty time occurred in 46.5% of all sports injuries. Multivariate analyses indicated that rank, occupational specialty, sport played when injured, anatomical location of injury, and injury severity were significant independent predictors of lost duty time. These findings describing leisure-time sports injuries among deployed Marines may help identify at-risk subgroups, and suggest preventive interventions to reduce sports-related injuries and lost duty time in combat theaters.