Abstract
Sports participation is a common method for military members to sustain and enhance physical fitness. The benefits of sports participation cannot be outweighed by the risk of musculoskeletal injury. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, the added benefits in terms of mental resiliency and stress control are invaluable; however, poorly planned and executed sports and physical training programs can result in preventable injuries. Military leaders at all levels must find a way to mitigate the risk of injury while still reaping the rewards of sports participation. Through adequate planning, execution, and integration of healthcare resources already available, sports and fitness events should continue as an integral part of military training without a detrimental effect on personnel and military readiness.
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Garrison, M., Dembowski, S., Shepard, N. (2016). Sports and Exercise-Related Injuries in the Military. In: Cameron, K., Owens, B. (eds) Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Military. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2984-9_4
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