Concussion history is associated with increased lower-extremity injury incidence in Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadets

• Published in: BMJ military health Vol. 169; no. 2; p. 112
• Main Authors: Hunzinger, Katherine J, Radzak, K N, Costantini, K M, Swanik, C B, Buckley, T A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-04-2023
• Subjects: Extremities; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Physical Examination; epidemiology; sports medicine; neurological injury
• ISSN: 2633-3775
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001589

Concussions have been associated with an increased risk of lower-extremity musculoskeletal injury (LE-MSI) in athletes and US Army soldiers, creating an added economic, physical and social burden. Yet, there is a paucity of evidence on this relationship among Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets, a group which engages in activities with high-injury risk and will subsequently commission as active duty officers. This study aimed to examine the association between concussions and LE-MSI in ROTC cadets.
125 (83 were male) Army and Air Force ROTC cadets (19.8±2.0 years) from two large state universities' Army and Air Force ROTC programmes participated in this study. Cadets completed a reliable injury history questionnaire to ascertain the following variables of interest: (1) any concussion history, (2) reported concussions, (3) undiagnosed concussions, and (4) potentially unrecognised concussion history and LE-MSI history (eg, ankle sprain, knee sprain or muscle strain). Data were analysed using a χ
test for association and binary logistic regression to determine ORs.
Cadets with any concussion history (n=42) had a significantly (p=0.035) higher association with LE-MSI (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.05 to 5.83) than those without. Cadets who had a reported concussion (n=33) had a significantly (p=0.026) higher association with LE-MSI (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.11 to 7.84) compared to cadets without.
ROTC cadets with a history of diagnosed concussion were more likely to have suffered an LE-MSI than cadets without a concussion history. ROTC cadre should be aware of this relationship and incorporate injury prevention protocols.