Musculoskeletal injuries in UK Service Personnel and the impact of in-theatre rehabilitation during Cold Weather Warfare training: Exercise CETUS 2020

Abstract

IntroductionThe Royal Marines provide the lead Service for UK Defence Mountain and Cold Weather Warfare capability. This is the first prospective study addressing musculoskeletal injury rates sustained during Cold Weather Warfare training, with the aim of informing injury mitigation interventions and assist military medical planning with respect to delivering primary care rehabilitation in theatre.MethodsAll musculoskeletal injuries were surveyed by the Forward Rehabilitation Team (Nov 2019–Mar 2020) during a Cold Weather Deployment to Norway (Ex CETUS 2019/20). The frequency, nature of injury (new or recurrent), onset (sudden or gradual), cause, location and exercise/treatment outcome were recorded.ResultsEleven per cent (n=136 cases) of the deployed population (n=1179) reported a musculoskeletal injury, which were mainly ‘new’ (62%), and with a ‘sudden’ onset (64%). Injury rate was 17.8 injuries per 10 000 personnel days. The majority of injuries occurred due to military training (88%), specifically during ski-related (61%) and load carriage (10%) activities.The average Service Person treated by the Forward Rehabilitation Team improved from ‘injured with restricted duties’ to ‘fully fit’, and with an improvement in their self-reported Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire from 33 to 45 over an average of two rehabilitation sessions. One hundred and seventeen Service Personnel were able to continue on Ex CETUS with rehabilitation in theatre, thus negating the requirement for aeromedical evacuation for continuation of rehabilitation in the UK. Nineteen patients were unable to continue their Cold Weather Deployment due to the nature of their musculoskeletal injury and returned to the UK for continued care in firm base rehabilitation centres.ConclusionThis study identifies the nature, causation and injury location. It demonstrates the effectiveness of in-theatre rehabilitation and the ability to treat patients when deployed. Recommendations are presented to support strategies to mitigate musculoskeletal injury risk during future Cold Weather Warfare deployments to Norway.