PMID- 27544988
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20160908
LR  - 20160822
IS  - 0017-7768 (Print)
IS  - 0017-7768 (Linking)
VI  - 155
IP  - 6
DP  - 2016 Jun
TI  - [A NOVEL GENDER-SPECIFIC VEST FOR FEMALE INFANTRY RECRUITS DOES NOT REDUCE THE 
      INCIDENCE OF OVERUSE PAIN SYNDROMES: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY AMONG 240 
      RECRUITS].
PG  - 357-9, 386
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Overuse pain syndromes constitute a troublesome byproduct of 
      military infantry training, particularly in female fighters. These injuries 
      result in lost days of training, pain and discomfort and can affect fitness and 
      fighting abilities. We hypothesized that a gender specific vest would reduce the 
      incidence of overuse pain syndromes in a population of female recruits during 
      basic training. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the 
      effect of a novel gender-specific combat vest on the incidence of lower back pain 
      (LBP), anterior knee pain syndrome (AKPS), and plantar heel foot pain (PHFP) 
      among female recruits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective randomized study was 
      conducted among 243 female border police infantry recruits who were followed over 
      4-months of basic training. In this group, 101 females were equipped with 
      standard unisex special unit fighting vest (SUFV) and compared to 139 females who 
      were equipped with a novel well-padded new fighting vest (NFV), specifically 
      designed to fit the upper body morphology of females. This novel vest was 
      supplied in three sizes, and equipped with adjustable straps. Information 
      regarding the occurrence of overuse injuries was collected every two weeks. 
      Medical records and clinic visits were evaluated. Attention was given to 
      complaints of low back pain (LBP), anterior knee pain (AKP) and plantar heel foot 
      pain (PHFP). RESULTS: Two hundred and forty recruits completed the study. Three 
      recruits were lost to follow-up. Anterior knee pain was recorded in 65% of 
      recruits in the SUFV group versus 62% in the NFV group (p = ns). Lower back pain 
      was recorded in 86% of the SUFV group versus 82% in the NFV group (p = ns), and 
      plantar heel foot pain was recorded in 73% of the SUFV group versus 69% in the 
      NFV group (p = ns). DISCUSSION: Overuse pain injuries are more commonly reported 
      among female fighters. These injuries result in lost days of training, pain and 
      discomfort and can affect combat ability. Several researchers have found that 
      changes in fighting equipment, such as size and weight, can affect the rates of 
      these injuries. There is still a lack of information regarding changes related to 
      gender-based fighting equipment and their effects. CONCLUSION: A gender-specific 
      combat vest, designed to fit the upper female body, did not have any protective 
      effect on the occurrence of overuse pain syndromes of the back, knee and foot in 
      this study. It seems that in order to reduce the incidence of these injuries in 
      female recruits, emphasis should be directed at other factors such as 
      modifications in equipment weight, as well as modifications in the intensity of 
      the training programs.
FAU - Palmanovich, Ezequiel
AU  - Palmanovich E
FAU - Frankl, Michal
AU  - Frankl M
FAU - Hetsroni, Iftach
AU  - Hetsroni I
FAU - Nyska, Meir
AU  - Nyska M
FAU - Maron, Niv
AU  - Maron N
FAU - Constantin, Naama
AU  - Constantin N
FAU - Trejo, Leonardo
AU  - Trejo L
FAU - Bechar, Ron
AU  - Bechar R
FAU - Novak, Gideon
AU  - Novak G
FAU - Lankovsky, Zeev
AU  - Lankovsky Z
FAU - Mann, Gideon
AU  - Mann G
LA  - heb
PT  - English Abstract
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PL  - Israel
TA  - Harefuah
JT  - Harefuah
JID - 0034351
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - *Arthralgia/diagnosis/etiology/physiopathology/prevention & control
MH  - *Cumulative Trauma Disorders/diagnosis/etiology/physiopathology/prevention & 
      control
MH  - Female
MH  - Heel/*physiopathology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Knee Joint/*physiopathology
MH  - *Military Personnel
MH  - Pain Measurement/methods
MH  - *Protective Clothing
MH  - Sex Factors
MH  - Treatment Outcome
EDAT- 2016/08/23 06:00
MHDA- 2016/09/09 06:00
CRDT- 2016/08/23 06:00
PHST- 2016/08/23 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2016/08/23 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2016/09/09 06:00 [medline]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Harefuah. 2016 Jun;155(6):357-9, 386.