The Soldier-Athlete Initiative: Program Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Athletic Trainers Compared to Musculoskeletal Action Teams in Initial Entry Training, Fort Leonard Wood, June 2010 - December 2011
Abstract
A program evaluation was conducted at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to determine the effectiveness of athletic trainers (ATs) and musculoskeletal action teams (MATs) for reducing injuries, reducing medical attrition, and improving physical fitness. The MAT consisted of a physical therapist, physical therapy technician, two ATs, and two certified strength and conditioning specialists. The evaluation involved two groups (MAT & AT), two phases or periods (baseline (B) & intervention (I)), and three types of training (Basic Combat Training, Military Police One-Station Unit Training [OSUT] and Engineer OSUT). The B phase examined the period before the MAT and ATs were in place, and the I phase after they were in place. Injuries were obtained from medical records. Attrition and Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) scores were obtained directly from the units involved in the evaluation. The B phase involved 53 training companies (n=7,387 men; 1,816 women) and the I phase involved 44 training companies (5,840 men; 1,817 women). Compared to the B phase, the number of injured male recruits seen in the clinic/hospital in the intervention phase decreased 17% in the MAT group (p<0.01) and 22% for the AT group (p<0.01); among the women, comparable declines were 22% in the MAT group (p<0.01) and 19% for the AT group (p<0.01). Compared to the B phase, the number of male injury-related medical encounters seen in the clinic/hospital in the I period declined 19% for the MAT group (p<0.01) and 17% for the AT group (p<0.01); among the women, comparable declines were 21% in the MAT group (p<0.01) and 8% in the AT group (p=0.33). When the injury encounters from the clinic/hospital were combined with those of the AT/MAT, the total numbers of male encounters in the I phase (compared to the B) was 11% higher in the MAT group and 44% higher in the AT group; among women I encounters were was 16% higher in the MAT group and 32% higher in the AT group.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA586863
Entities
People
- Bria Graham
- Diane M Thompson
- Jacketta Cobbs
- Janet Papazis
- Joseph J Knapik
- Nikki Butler
- Rodney Gonzalez
- Ryan Steelman
- Timothy Pendergrass
- Tyson Grier
Organizations
- United States Army Public Health Command