The effect of army vest design on the occurrence of stress fractures and overuse injuries in female military recruits

摘要

Introduction Stress fractures (SFs) occur when micro-damage caused by repetitive mechanical load exceeds the biological load-bearing capacity of the bone. The study objective was to test whether a vest specifically designed and manufactured for female recruits, compared with the standard vest used on a regular basis by Border Police recruits, would reduce the incidence of SF in female Border Police recruits. Data based on reports of military personnel show that women are more likely to sustain SFs.