Training, Muscle Fatigue, and Stress Fractures

Abstract

The stress fracture is one of the most frequent injuries in peacetime military populations, responsible for the military's greatest drain of both lost recruit time and medical resources. Unfortunately, not until we improve our understanding of the causative agents of this pathology can we expect to take effective measures in diminishing its appearance. Thus far, the studies we have undertaken have demonstrated that the origins of the lesion stem from tissue remodeling to material microdamage. As importantly, the site of the lesion, when correlated to the mechanical environment to which the bone is subjected, emphasizes that the pathology predominates in areas of least strain, not those areas subject to greatest deformation. Finally, the pathology observed in the two animal models is histologically identical to that which occurs in the human condition, demonstrating that appropriateness of the extrapolation towards the pathogenesis of the human condition. These observations have led to the development of a new hypothesis which holds major implications towards the design and modification of recruit training regimen. Keywords: Stress fractures; Bone remodeling; Training; Muscle fatigue; Strain.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADB142374

Entities

People

  • Clinton T. Rubin

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Basic Training
  • Bone And Bones
  • Bone Fractures
  • Dynamic Loads
  • Gages
  • Heart Rate
  • Materials
  • Military Training
  • Musculoskeletal Physiology
  • Osteogenesis
  • Pathology
  • Physical Properties
  • Skeleton
  • Static Loads
  • Strain Gages
  • Surgery
  • Training

Readers

  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Theoretical Analysis.
  • Trauma Surgery or Emergency Medicine.