Readiness of military personnel for high intensity combat training course

Abstract

High standards of physical ability and health are essential for Military personnel and its career. Training of military personnel in field conditions is an essential process. The aim of the study was to evaluate readiness of cadets to high physical load during the combat training course (CTC). We carried out the following: evaluated posture status, analysed anthropometric characteristics, controlled parameters of musculoskeletal system such as muscle tone, muscle strength characteristics, and provided Nordic Questionnaire list containing a figure of Human Body, where a respondent marked the regions of musculoskeletal disorder (pain). All subjects gave their informed consent to the protocol approved by the local Medical Ethics Committee of Rıga Stradiņš University for biomedical research. Combat training course has duration of ten days and includes various physical, tactical, and psychological activities in military conditions that are a compulsory part of study process in National Defence Academy of Latvia. Cadets are facing complex challenges in tactical situations where they can approve their physical abilities, endurance and psychological persistence. They have dietary and sleeping deprivation during the course. We provided standardized Nordic Questionnaire for analysis and evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders in the study group and indicated main problematic regions with musculoskeletal symptoms. The general health status of participants was checked by medical specialists in military Medical Centre and advanced examination was done by Sports medicine doctor. The aim of the study is to analyse the posture status, foot status, to make muscle functional tests that allow managing pre-courses training program for CTC participants and optimizing adaptation of participants of the course to field condition of military training. Evaluating musculoskeletal symptoms cadets indicated that main problematical regions were lower back and knee. In 77% (42/54) of cases cadets with lower limb hyper-tonus had asymmetric posture in frontal plane. Analysis of anthropometric characteristics showed that body mass index changes were in the interval from 21.34 to 33.24. BMI value for 32.2% of participants corresponded to the standards of WHO recommendations. Analysis of posture and foot status was important for provision of preventive measures and reduction of the risk of health disorders related to high physical load in military environment. Persons with expressed asymmetry of posture and foot during dynamic load and static load can have overstress with high risk of health disorders, musculoskeletal pathology and psychological overload.