Survey on foot and ankle training injuries of Ⅲ personnel in a certain army during long-distance march

Abstract

Objective To investigate the occurrence of foot and ankle injuries in military training of Ⅲ personnel (professional technicians) during long-distance march so as to provide basis for scientific training. Methods During a certain military training activity in May 2021, a self-made questionnaire was used to investigate all the Ⅲ personnel in a certain unit. The personnel were divided into groups according to sex, age, intensity of walking exercise, and types of combat boots and socks, respectively, and the data were analyzed by the staff of the research group. Results Finally, 285 valid questionnaires were obtained among the 325 participants, with a validity rate of 88%, including 163 cases of pain (57.2%) and 104 cases of blisters (36.5%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of blisters among the groups. Totally 80.1% of the blisters and 77.3% of the pain occurred in the forefoot area. Based on visual analogue scale (VAS) score, the pain score of participants over 50 years old was decreased significantly (P=0.032), and wearing uniform socks could significantly reduce the pain score (P=0.033). During the period, there were no cases of fracture, operation or other cases, and no one withdrew from training activities due to injuries. Conclusion Ⅲ personnel in the army are prone to pain and blisters in the forefoot area when they carry out long-distance training. Age and the type of socks are important factors affecting pain.

Keywords

• military
• training injury
• foot and ankle
• investigation and analysis
• prevention