Halvarsson A.1,2, Hagman I.3, Tegern M.3,4, Broman L.3, Larsson H.3
1Karolinska Institutet, Division of Physiotherapy, Huddinge, Sweden, 2Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, 3Karolinska Institutet, Division of Physiotherapy, Stockholm, Sweden, 4Umea University, Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umea, Sweden
Background: Musculoskeletal complaints and injuries (MSCI) are common in military populations which likely can affect the unit's readiness. However, only few studies have followed soldiers during international missions and compared the prevalence of MSCI during and at the end of international mission.
Purpose: The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence of MSCI in different military occupational specialties' during six months international mission in Afghanistan.
Methods: Cross-sectional survey including 325 soldiers (300 men, 25 female) aged 20-62, from an international mission in Afghanistan during spring 2012.
The soldiers were clustered according to their military occupational specialties (MOS): Infantry, Administration, Maintenance, Supply, Medical and Other. Other comprises of soldiers with assignments in mentoring (of Afghanistan Police and Afghanistan Army) and liaison soldiers (including duties both at camp and in the field, wearing only uniform as well as combat gears).
Data were collected through questionnaire after the international mission. In the questionnaire the soldiers retrospectively reported prevalence of MSCI before, during and at the end of the international mission.
Results: Twenty-six percent of the soldiers reported that they had a MSCI before mission and out of these, 57% reported that the complaints or injuries had deteriorated during mission. Mostly affected was low back and knee.
During mission, 47% of the soldiers reported MSCI while 28% reported MSCI both during and at the end of the mission.
Soldiers reported up to five different locations of MSCI during and up to four at the end of mission. Most common location of MSCI during mission was low back (18%), knee (14%), shoulders (12%), thoracic back (8%), neck (8%) and foot (8%) and at the end of mission knee (14%) and low back (9%).
How frequent the MSCI bothered them was reported to be often to always in 22% for all soldiers. When clustered according their MOS, this frequency of often to always were: for Infantry 27 %, Supply 26%, Administration 22%, Medical 14%, Other 13% and Maintenance 9%.
Fifty-three percent of the soldiers with MSCI reported affected work ability due to MSCI. Only 4% reported MSCI to affect work ability to a great extent. Five percent of the soldiers had been relived from their duties during mission due to their MSCI. One third had consulted a medical doctor, nurse or physiotherapist.
Conclusion(s): Almost half of the soldiers perceived MSCI during international mission and most common were injuries in low back, knee and shoulders. Over 50 percent of injured reported affected work ability due to MSCI. The MOS where soldiers experienced MSCI most frequent were Infantry and Supply.
Implications: The results from the present study indicate that there is a need for preventive interventions before and during international mission to enhance soldiers readiness, promote operational readiness and minimize deployable non-ready.
Funding acknowledgements: Funding from the Swedish Armed Forces. The organization had no authority over or input into any part of the study.
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics
Ethics approval: The study was approved by the Ethical Committee in Stockholm, Dnr 2011/928-32
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
