Functional Rehabilitation Criteria Required for a Safe Return to Active Duty in Military Personnel Following a Musculoskeletal Injury
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Authors
Houghton, Nadine
Maynard, Jared
Aiken, Alice
Date
2016-04-05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Keyword
Active Duty Personnel , Enlisted Personnel , Job Re-entry , Military Personnel , Military Recruits , Reserve Personnel , Return to Active Duty , Return to Duty , Return to Work
Alternative Title
Abstract
The objective of this article is to assess the types of musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries commonly affecting military
personnel and the outcome measures that may be used to predict a safe return to active duty post-injury. The key
word-driven electronic search identified 190 articles initially. Thirty-one articles remained following application
of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The United States published 27 of the 31 studies, most of which were
retrospective reviews, case series, prospective cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials. Based on inclusion
frequency, MSK injuries of the shoulder, back, knee, ankle, and foot are the most prevalent in military populations.
Physical therapy interventions varied significantly even among similar injury types with return-to-duty rates
varying from 2 to 100 per cent over three to 20.9 months, depending on intervention and injury type. Many
varied outcome measures were used between studies to evaluate subjects. No concrete criteria currently exist
to evaluate readiness for a safe return to duty following an MSK injury. More widespread use of standardized
protocols for specific injuries and taking into consideration the physical requirements for each military occupational
specialty will assist in determining the readiness of recovering soldiers to return to their full duties in the
future.