Military Exercises, Knee and Ankle Joint Position Sense, and Injury in Male Conscripts: A Pilot Study

Context: The high incidence of lower limb injuries associated with physical exercises in military conscripts suggests that fatigue may be a risk factor for injuries. Researchers have hypothesized that lower limb injuries may be related to altered ankle and knee joint position sense (JPS) due to fatigue. Objective: To evaluate if military exercises could alter JPS and to examine the possible relation of JPS to future lower extremity injuries in military service. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 50 male conscripts (age = 21.4 ± 2.3 years, height = 174.5 ± 6.4 cm, mass = 73.1 ± 6.3 kg) from a unique military base were recruited randomly. Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants performed 8 weeks of physical activities at the beginning of a military course. In the first part of the study, we instructed participants to recognize predetermined positions before and after military exercises so we could examine the effects of military exercise on JPS. The averages ...