Load carriage changes tibiofemoral arthrokinematics during ambulatory tasks in recruit-aged women.

The introduction of women into U.S. military ground close combat roles requires research into sex-specific effects of military training and operational activities.

Decreased Percent Body Fat but Not Body Mass is Associated with Better Performance on Combat Fitness Test in Male and Female Marines.

Pletcher, ER, Lovalekar, M, Coleman, LC, Beals, K, Nindl, BC, and Allison, KF. Decreased percent body fat but not body mass is associated with better performance on the Marine Corps Combat Fitness Test. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 887-893, 2023-The military uses a variety of physical fitness tests to assess physical readiness.

Increases in Load Carriage Magnitude and Forced Marching Change Lower-Extremity Coordination in Physically Active, Recruit-Aged Women.

The objective was to examine the interactive effects of load magnitude and locomotion pattern on lower-extremity joint angles and intralimb coordination in recruit-aged women. Twelve women walked, ran, and forced marched at body weight and with loads of +25%, and +45% of body weight on an instrumented treadmill with infrared cameras. Joint angles were assessed in the sagittal plane.

Incidence and pattern of musculoskeletal injuries among women and men during Marine Corps training in sex-integrated units.

Objectives: The purpose of this analysis was to describe and compare the incidence and pattern of musculoskeletal injuries in women and men during the United States Marine Corps Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force work-up and assessment phases in sex-integrated units.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Methods: Certified athletic trainers and Navy corpsmen reported injury data for 302 Marines (women: 27.

Compromised Dynamic Postural Stability Under Increased Load Carriage Magnitudes.

Warfighter performance may be compromised through the impact of load carriage on dynamic postural stability. Men and women may experience this impact to differing extents due to postural stability differences. Therefore, the authors investigated the effect of load magnitude on dynamic postural stability in men and women during a landing and stabilization task.

Fight load index and body composition are most associated with combat fitness in female Marines.

Unlabelled: Optimizing tactical fitness is important for combat readiness and injury prevention, especially as women have entered ground combat military occupational specialties.

Objectives: To assess characteristics of male and female Marines by Combat Fitness Test (CFT) performance clusters.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Significantly Increased Odds of Reporting Previous Shoulder Injuries in Female Marines Based on Larger Magnitude Shoulder Rotator Bilateral Strength Differences.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries to the extremities are a primary concern for the United States (US) military. One possible injury risk factor in this population is side-to-side strength imbalance.

Purpose: To examine the odds of reporting a previous shoulder injury in US Marine Corps Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force volunteers based on side-to-side strength differences in isokinetic shoulder strength.

Greater ankle strength, anaerobic and aerobic capacity, and agility predict Ground Combat Military Occupational School graduation in female Marines.

Unlabelled: Women can serve in all military occupational specialties (MOS); however, musculoskeletal and physiological characteristics that predict successful completion of ground combat MOS schools by female Marines are unknown.

Objectives: To determine which demographic, musculoskeletal, and physiological characteristics predict graduation from infantry and vehicle ground combat MOS schools in female Marines.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Differential basal and exercise-induced IGF-I system responses to resistance vs. calisthenic-based military readiness training programs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to: 1) evaluate differential responses of the IGF-I system to either a calisthenic- or resistance exercise-based program and 2) determine if this chronic training altered the IGF-I system during an acute resistance exercise protocol.

Design: Thirty-two volunteers were randomly assigned into a resistance exercise-based training (RT) group (n=15, 27±5y, 174±6cm, 81±12kg) or a calisthenic-based training group (CT) (n=17, 29±5y, 179±8cm, 85±10kg) and all underwent 8weeks of exercise training (1.5h/d, 5d/wk).

Force Sense of the Knee Not Affected by Fatiguing the Knee Extensors and Flexors.

Context: Knee injuries commonly occur in later stages of competition, indicating that fatigue may influence dynamic knee stability. Force sense (FS) is a submodality of proprioception influenced by muscle mechanoreceptors, which, if negatively affected by fatigue, may result in less-effective neuromuscular control.

Objectives: To determine the effects of peripheral fatigue on FS of the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and physiological gender differences in the US military.

Unlabelled: The repeal of the Direct Ground Combat Assignment Rule has renewed focus on examining performance capabilities of female military personnel and their ability to occupy previously restricted military occupational specialties. Previous research has revealed female Soldiers suffer a greater proportion of musculoskeletal injuries compared to males, including a significantly higher proportion of lower extremity, knee, and overuse injuries. Potential differences may also exist in musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and physiological characteristics between male and female Soldiers requiring implementation of gender-specific training in order to mitigate injury risk and enhance performance.

Exercise dose and insulin sensitivity: relevance for diabetes prevention.

Purpose: Exercise improves insulin resistance and is a first line for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. The extent, however, to which these responses are dose dependent is not known. The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercise dose was associated with improvements in insulin sensitivity after 4 months of exercise training in previously sedentary adults.