Association between changes in serum bone metabolism markers and bone microarchitecture changes during basic combat training - The ARMI study.

Importance: U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) improves tibial volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) and structure in most, but not all soldiers.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis suppression is common among women during US Army Basic Combat Training.

Objective: Less than half of servicewomen report loss of menses during initial military training. However, self-reported menstrual status may not accurately reflect hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis suppression and may underestimate reproductive health consequences of military training. Our aim was to characterise HPO axis function during US Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) in non-hormonal contraceptive-using women and explore potential contributors to HPO axis suppression.

Sex- and age-related differences in kinetics and tibial accelerations during military-relevant movement tasks in U.S. Army trainees.

Lower extremity injuries are prevalent in military trainees, especially in female and older trainees. Modifiable factors that lead to higher injury risk in these subgroups are not clear. The purpose of this study was to identify whether external loading variables during military-relevant tasks differ by age and sex in U.

Urinary Proteomic Biomarkers of Trabecular Bone Volume Change during Army Basic Combat Training.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to optimize a dMS-based urinary proteomic technique and evaluate the relationship between urinary proteome content and adaptive changes in bone microarchitecture during BCT.

Methods: Urinary proteomes were analyzed with an optimized dMS technique in two groups of 13 recruits ( N = 26) at the beginning (Pre) and end (Post) of BCT. Matched by age (21 ± 4 yr), sex (16 W), and baseline tibial trabecular bone volume fractions (Tb.

Sex Does Not Affect Changes in Body Composition and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I During US Army Basic Combat Training.

Roberts, BM, Staab, JS, Caldwell, AR, Sczuroski, CE, Staab, JE, Lutz, LJ, Reynoso, M, Geddis, AV, Taylor, KM, Guerriere, KI, Walker, LA, Hughes, JM, and Foulis, SA. Sex does not affect changes in body composition and insulin-like growth factor-I during US Army basic combat training. J Strength Cond Res 38(6): e304-e309, 2024-Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) has been implicated as a biomarker of health and body composition.

Relationships between tibial accelerations and ground reaction forces during walking with load carriage.

Peak tibial accelerations (TAs) during running are strongly related to early stance vertical ground reaction forces (GRFs), which are associated with musculoskeletal injury. However, few studies have examined these correlations during walking, and none have evaluated them during walking with loads, a relevant activity for military personnel. Our purpose was to determine the relationships between GRFs and TAs in US Army trainees (n = 649) walking with loads.

Maximizing Strength: The Stimuli and Mediators of Strength Gains and Their Application to Training and Rehabilitation.

Spiering, BA, Clark, BC, Schoenfeld, BJ, Foulis, SA, and Pasiakos, SM. Maximizing strength: the stimuli and mediators of strength gains and their application to training and rehabilitation. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 919-929, 2023-Traditional heavy resistance exercise (RE) training increases maximal strength, a valuable adaptation in many situations.

Load carriage aerobic exercise stimulates a transient rise in biochemical markers of bone formation and resorption.

Exercise can be both anabolic and catabolic for bone tissue. The temporal response of both bone formation and resorption following an acute bout of exercise is not well described. We assayed biochemical markers of bone and calcium metabolism for up to 3 days after military-relevant exercise.

Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks.

Cohen BS, Redmond JE, Haven CC, Foulis SA, Canino MC, Frykman PN, Sharp MA. Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 894-901, 2023-This study measured the impact of occupational experience (i.

Association Between Self-Reported Sleep Quality and Musculoskeletal Injury in Male Army Rangers.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injuries and insufficient sleep are common among U.S. Army Rangers.

Revalidating U.S. Army soldiers' perceptions of combat arms job tasks: Frequencies, importance and expectations of performance.

Background: In 2013 the U.S. Army began developing physical tests to predict a recruit's ability to perform the critical physically demanding tasks (CPDTs) of combat arms jobs not previously open to women.

US Army basic combat training alters the relationship between body mass index and per cent body fat.

Introduction/background: As a proxy for adiposity, body mass index (BMI) provides a practical public health metric to counter obesity-related disease trends. On an individual basis, BMI cannot distinguish fat and lean components of body composition. Further, the relationship between BMI and body composition may be altered in response to physical training.

Maintaining Physical Performance: The Minimal Dose of Exercise Needed to Preserve Endurance and Strength Over Time.

Maintaining physical performance: the minimal dose of exercise needed to preserve endurance and strength over time, Spiering, BA, Mujika, I, Sharp, MA, and Foulis, SA. J Strength Cond Res 35(5): 1449-1458, 2021-Nearly every physically active person encounters periods in which the time available for exercise is limited (e.g.

Body mass does not reflect the body composition changes in response to similar physical training in young women and men.

Introduction: U.S. Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) prepares new recruits to meet soldier physical demands.

Sleep health of incoming army trainees and how it changes during basic combat training.

Objective: To examine the sleep health of incoming Army trainees and how it is impacted during basic combat training (BCT).

Design: Prospective.

Setting: BCT site (Fort Jackson, SC).

Relationship of Anthropometric Measures on Female Trainees' and Active Duty Soldiers' Performance of Common Soldiering Tasks.

Introduction: This study compared the relationship between height (HT), body mass (BM), and body mass index (BMI) of female trainees and active duty female soldiers and their performance on simulated common soldiering tasks (CSTs) with high physical demands.

Methods: Female trainees (n = 133) and soldiers (n = 229) completed the following CSTs: sandbag carry, move under fire, casualty drag, casualty evacuation, and road march. Quartiles were created among HT, BM, and BMI by which task performance was compared using ANOVAs with Tukey post hoc comparisons.

Quantifying Training Load During Physically Demanding Tasks in U.S. Army Soldiers: A Comparison of Physiological and Psychological Measurements.

Introduction: There are many ways to quantify the training loads required to perform soldiering tasks. Although indirect calorimetry may provide the most accurate measures, the equipment can be burdensome and expensive. Simpler measures may provide sufficient data, while being more practical for measuring soldiers in the field.

U.S. Army physical demands study: Accuracy of occupational physical assessment test classifications for combat arms soldiers.

Background: Beginning in 2017, successfully passing the four-part pre-enlistment Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) became a requirement for all U.S. Army recruits.

A prospective field study of U.S. Army trainees to identify the physiological bases and key factors influencing musculoskeletal injuries: a study protocol.

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are common in military trainees and present a considerable threat to occupational fitness, deployability, and overall military readiness. Despite the negative effects of MSKIs on military readiness, comprehensive evaluations of the key known and possible risk factors for MSKIs are lacking. The U.

Surveyed Reasons for Not Seeking Medical Care Regarding Musculoskeletal Injury Symptoms in US Army Trainees.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) pose a significant threat to military readiness and are difficult to monitor due to Soldiers' reluctance to seek medical treatment. There is high risk of developing MSKIs while going through initial entry training (IET), many of which go unreported. The purposes of this study were to identify the contributing factors that influence US Army trainees to not seek medical care for self-reported symptoms of musculoskeletal injury (SMSKI) and establish how those factors may differ by sex, training school, and installation site.