Preventing Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSKIs) Musculoskeletal injuries, or MSKIs, affect the bones, muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons. Most Warfighter injuries are MSKIs, often caused by repetitive movements or trauma. Despite being common, they are a major threat to your mission readiness in both peacetime and combat. Having this type of injury can severely impact your health and fitness, sometimes to the point of discharge from service. Luckily, MSKIs are usually preventable. Stay fit to perform your job duties and other training requirements by reducing your injury risk! How Can I Lower My Risk of MSKIs? Be active: Those with low physical fitness and muscular strength are at higher risk of MSKIs. Being physically active can help prevent these injuries by strengthening your bones, muscles and joints. Ensure your exercise routine includes gradual increases in intensity, a balance of activity types, movement preparation and workout recovery to help prevent overtraining. It’s also important to use personal protective equipment when necessary. Learn more about physical activity. Maintain a healthy weight: Being underweight, overweight or obese can increase your risk of MSKIs. Those who are a normal weight with a higher body fat percentage may also be at higher MSKI risk. Strive to keep your weight and body composition in a healthy range to maintain physical readiness. Learn more about weight management. Get enough sleep: You may notice changes in your mind, body and emotions when you aren’t well rested. These shifts can hinder your operational performance and put you at higher MSKI risk. In fact, Warfighters who get 4 hours or less of sleep are twice as likely to experience an MSKI. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per 24-hour cycle. Learn more about healthy sleep. Fuel your body: Eating nutritious foods with a variety of vitamins and minerals can strengthen your muscles and bones, thereby reducing your MSKI risk. Try to fill half of your plate at each meal with vegetables and limit processed foods. After a workout, prioritize carbohydrates and protein to aid your recovery. Hydration is also an important part of fueling your body and protecting yourself from injury. Learn more about balanced eating plans. Quit nicotine products: People who smoke and/or vape are at higher risk of an MSKI. Using nicotine products can cause inflammation that weakens your bones and slows the healing process. Quit nicotine to restore healthy functioning and reduce your MSKI risk. Learn more about quitting. Limit extreme training requirements: Some military activities put a lot of stress on your body, increasing the likelihood of MSKIs. However, precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of harm. For instance, take rest days while performing high-stress activities if possible. When carrying heavy loads, ensure they are packed evenly and worn properly to minimize strain. Learn more about load carriage strategies. What Else Can Increase My Injury Risk? Some MSKI risk factors can’t be changed. However, it can still be useful to know how they impact your likelihood of injury. The following may raise your risk of MSKI: Being in the Army or Marines Longer length of military service Previous deployment Certain occupational specialties Having prior MSKIs Not participating in sports before enlistment Having a foot condition (e.g., flat feet) Older age Being female Extreme temperatures (e.g., summertime) Environmental conditions (e.g., darkness, uneven training surfaces) MSKIs are the leading threat to health and readiness among Warfighters, resulting in 25 million limited duty days per year. Don’t let MSKIs put your health and career in jeopardy! Though some risk factors may be out of your control, there are still steps you can take to protect yourself from MSKIs. Reduce your injury risk whenever possible to keep you, your unit and your country mission ready. ReferencesAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - “Smoking and Musculoskeletal Health”Defense Health Agency - “Injuries, Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention – An Overview”Defense Health Agency - “Sports and Physical Training Injuries”Pav V et al - “Burden of Musculoskeletal Injuries in U.S. Active Duty Service Members: A 12-Year Study Spanning Fiscal Years 2010–2021”Sammito S et al - “Risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in the military: a qualitative systematic review of the literature from the past two decades and a new prioritizing injury model”Warfighter Wellness - “Avoid Musculoskeletal Injuries with Healthy Amounts of Sleep”Webster J et al - “Nutritional strategies to optimise musculoskeletal health for fall and fracture prevention: Looking beyond calcium, vitamin D and protein”
