Fitness, Performance, and Risk of Injury in British Army Officer Cadets

MILITARY MEDICINE. 164.6:428. 1999
Fitness, Performance, and Risk of Injury in
British Army Officer Cadets
Guarantor: Mark P. Rayson. PhO
Contributors: Georgina E. Har\vood, MSc*; Mark P. Rayson. PhO*; Alan M. Nevill. PhOt
The objectives of this study were to investigate the effectivefect military perfonnance. Military training, therefore, should be
ness of the Commissioning Course (CC) to develop and maintain
standards of fitness, to assess capability to perform military
tasks, and to determine the relationship between fitness
and risk of injury in 106 British Army officer cadets (OCdts).
Aerobic fitness, muscular strength, endurance, and body composition
were regularly assessed. Performance on four representative
military tasks was measured at the end of the CC. All
injuries in term 1 were documented. Over the CC, changes in
directed at improving these components of fitness.
Several previous studies have evaluated the efficacy of British
Army training in improving physical fitness.3-6 But these studies
have focused on basic training in regular anny recruits rather
than in officer cadets (OCdts), have involved training for a relatively
short period (typically 6 to 10 weeks), and have focused on
aerobic fitness often to the exclusion of the other relevant as-
fitness were generally modest and equivocal. Aerobic fitness pects of fitness. The only published studies reporting fitness
improved by approximately 10% (p < 0.01), strength by 5 to 9% changes in male and female OCdts are those of Daniels et al!8
(p < 0.05 to P < 0.01), and muscular endurance by 55% (p < in the United States.
0.01). Reductions in fat (p < 0.01) and gains in fat free mass
(p < 0.05) averaged 3%. The females demonstrated greater
improvements than the males. The majority of OCdts passed
the representative military tasks, although females in some
trades showed high failure rates. Forty-six percent of OCdts
sustained injuries in the first term, resulting in 5% of mandays
lost. No gender difference was found in injury rates. The
least aerobically fit OCdts sustained more injuries than their
fitter counterparts. In conclusion, there is scope for optimiz-
The first study by Daniels et al.7 evaluated the effects of
ability-grouped training programs on maximum oxygen consumption
(VO2max) in 60 male and female OCdts during a
6-week training program before the commencement of the academic
year at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The
training program consisted of a 30-min run five to six times per
week. VO2max, which was directly measured at the beginning
and end of training using a maximal treadmill test, increased by
ing the effectiveness of the CC to enhance fitness and improve 8% in female OCdts but did not increase in male OCdts. Both
the focus of physical training on maximizing military task genders reduced body fat-the males by 2% and the females
performance.
by 3%.
Introduction
The second study by Daniels et al.8 evaluated 11 male and 7
female OCdts from the original 60, on five separate dates over
the ensuing 2-year training program. VO2max (l.min.-I) in-
D espite increased automation and mechanization in military creased by 10% in males and 8% in females, lean body mass
equipment, a high level of physical fitness remains a critical increased by 6% in both genders, and body mass increased
requirement for soldiers to be able to perform their jobs effec- by 6% in males and 4% in females. Percent body fat was sigtively,
In a military context, physical fitness is defined as the nificantly reduced only after the first summer of training and
capacity to meet the demands of the occupation and of unit then returned to initial levels. Body mass-corrected VO2ma:"
missions, The required levels of physical fitness can be achieved (ml.kg.-I.min.-l) did not change in males during the study, and
by selecting personnel with the right potential and by appropri- the elevated values (10%) seen in females after the initial 6
ate physical training (PI1 that complies with the basic principles weeks of training had dropped to a 4% gain by the end of the 2
of progression, overload, recovery, and reversibility,1 A major
consideration in the conception, design, and construction of any
years.
The recent drive toward the wider employment of women in
military fYr program should be both the potential for improve- the British Army and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization
ment and the transfer of any fitness gains to enhance military (NATO) armies and the introduction of gender-free physical se-
performance,1 These considerations are addressed in this lection tests to the British Army on Aplill, 1998, has led to a
paper,
Three components of physical fitness have been identified as
renewed interest in fitness, capability to perfonn military tasks,
the relationships between fitness and risk of injury, and any
particularly relevant to military performance: aerobic fitness, gender differences that might exist.
muscular strength/power, and muscular endurance,1.2 Body This paper reports on an investigation into the gains in fitness
mass and composition are additional factors that indirectly af- produced by 44 weeks of military training. The British Anny's
Commissioning Course (CC) for OCdts consists of three tenns of
.Optlmal Perfonnance LimIted, Old Chambers, 93-94 West Street, Farnham, Sur- 14 weeks each, plus 2 weeks of adveI:lturous training. The CC
rey GU9 7EB, United Kingdom.
undergoes a continual process of validation to ensure the ap-
tSchool of Human Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street,
Uverpool L3 3AK. United Kingdom.
ThIs manuscrtpt was received for review in April 1998. The revised manuscrtpt was
accepted for publication in September 1998.
propriateness of both the training objectives and methods.
The objectives of this study were threefold: first and prima:rily,
to investigate the effectiveness of the 44-week course to develop
Reprtnt & Copyright @ by Association of Military Surgeons of U.S., 1999. and maintain standards of individual fitness by quantifying
Military Medicine, Vol. 164, June 1999 428

I
Fitness. Military
Perfonnance, and Risk of Injury
changes in relevant measures of fitness; second, to detennine if
OCdts could achieve the required standards on four job-related
military tasks; and third, to assess the relationship between
initial fitness levels and lisk of injury.
Methods
Study Location
The study took place from September 1996 to September
1997 at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, United Kingdom.
Subjects
One hundred six OCdts participated in the study, comprising
68 males (mean age, 22.8 :t: 1.4 years; stature, 1,803 :t: 70 rom;
body mass, 77.9 :t: 8.7 kg) and 38 females (mean age, 23.4 :t: 1.7
years; stature, 1,668 :t: 49 mm; body mass, 65.5 :t: 5.3 kg).
Ethics approval for the procedures was provided by the Univer-
sity of Birmingham. Before the commencement of the study, all
subjects underwent medical examinations and written consent
to participate was obtained.
Physical Training
As part of the 44-week CC program, in addition to other
physically demanding lessons, including military exercises and
drill, there were 93 formal JYr periods of 45 minutes. The total
number of JYr lessons and the programming of those lessons
largely reflected both experienced opinion of what JYr was required
and pragmatic considerations of the time and costs associated
with the entire CC.
The objectives of the JYr program were to develop and maintain
standards of individual fitness. Term I included 38 JYr
periods comprising 6 double lessons and 26 single lessons,
which tended to focus on basic fitness and battle JYr. Term 2
included 26 JYr periods comprising 6 double lessons and 14
single lessons, which focused on endurance training and battle
JYr. Term 3 included 29 JYr periods comprising II double lessons
and 7 single lessons, which concentrated on preparation for the
Sandhurst competitions and the military exercises in term 3.
I The 93 JYr periods were broadly classified as conditioning (8),
! endurance training (mainly marching) (40), battle JYr (mainly
I assault course) (23), basic JYr (mainly gym skills) (13), and swim-
429
effort run on a flat bitumen course. For both tests, duration of
running was recorded in seconds.
Muscular strength/power was assessed using three tests.
Static lift strength (SLS) was assessed by the 38-cm upright
pull, as described by Knapik et al.IO This test determines the
composite force produced by the muscles involved in hip and
knee extension and elevation. A Takei dynamometer (Cranlea,
Birmingham, United Kingdom) with liquid crystal display was
used to record force production. One practice attempt and two
maximal efforts were permitted. Maximal force production was
recorded in kilograms. Dynamic lift strength (DLS) was measured
using the incremental lift tesVI to a modified height of
1.45 m (Campden Instruments, Loughborough, United Kingdom).
The initial load lifted (the mass of the carriage alone) was
20 kg. Up to 32 2.5-kgweights could be added to the carriage by
inserting a pin in the weight stack. Increments of 5 kg were used
initially, and 2.5-kg increments were used as the subject approached
maximum. Maximum load lifted was recorded in kilograms.
Back extension strength (BES) was measured using a
custom-made back extension rig with a digital display unit
(Campden Instruments). Subjects stood upright facing the dynamometer
with a yoke around the shoulders and the hips
against a plate. One practice attempt-and two maximal efforts
were performed, and maximal force production was recorded in
kilograms.
Muscular endurance was measured using two tests: abdominal
curls and pull-ups. The maximal duration that a subject
could sustain a progressive sit-up test was recorded in seconds
(National Coaching Foundation, Leeds, United Kingdom). The
maximum number of pull-ups that could be performed on a
gymnasium beam, performed with the chin brought above the
beam on the "up heave" and with the arms at full extension at
the low position, without rest, was recorded.
Percentage body fat (BF) was determined using an electrical
impedance device (Bodystat 1500, Bodystat, Douglas, Isle of
Man). 12-14 Fat free mass (FFM) was determined as the difference
between body mass and fat mass.
Military Tasks
Previous work15 identified standards on four representative
military tasks that British Amy soldiers were required to
ming (8). An additional 7, 10, and 11 periods were used to achieve. The required standards (referred to as levels 1.2. and
undertake assessments of fitness and competitions for terms I,
2, and 3, respectively..
3). which were endorsed by arms and service directorates. varied
by trade. The representative military task protocols comprise
a single lift. a carry. a repetitive lift. and a loaded march. The
Fitness Measurements
single lift entailed progressive maximal lifting of a loaded am-
A battery of tests measuring aerobic fitness, muscular munition box with handles. from the ground to a height of 1.45
strength/power, endurance. and body composition was per- or 1.70 m (depending on trade). The carry involved continuous
formed in the first week of the CC and at the end of each 14-week walking up and down a 30-m course at a prescribed pace of 1.5
term.
m/s. carrying. for as long as possible. two plastic water cans
Aerobic fitness was estimated using a progressive 20-m mul- each weighing 20 kg. The repetitive lift involved lifting a loaded
tistage fitness test (MSFT)9 and a 1.5-mile run. The MSFT in-volved ammunition box with handles. weighing 10. 22. or 44 kg (de-
running back and forth along a 20-m track at a speed pending on trade). from the ground. carrying it 10 m. and lifting
that increased from 8 km/h by 0.5 km/h every minute. Running it to a height of 1.45 m for 10. 15. or 20 minutes. respectively.
speed was indicated by audio signals. OCdts were withdrawnfrom The loaded march involved completing an B-mile flat bitumen
the test when they could no longer continue or failed tokeep course as quickly as possible \\ith a rucksack loaded to 15. 20.
up with the set speed. The 1.5-mile run involved a best- or 25 kg (depending on trade).
Medicine, Vol. 164. June 1999

430 Fitness, Performance. and Risk of Injury
Injuries
For the purposes of this paper. an injury was defmed as a
medical incident that resulted in attendance at the medical
reception station during term 1. The injuries were recorded in a
computer database by Army medical officers at the medical
reception station and later interpreted by a consultant orthopedic
physician and analyzed by the authors.
in muscular strength were found. OCdts improved in both test,
of muscular endurance (p < 0.01): abdominal curls by approximately
28% and pull-ups by 48% (males. 28%: females. 86%
[p < 0.01)). Body mass decreased by approximately 3%, FFM
increased by 2%, and percent BF was reduced by 3.5% in males
and by 6.3% in females (all p < 0.01). Female OCdts lost significantly
more BF than their male counterparts (p < 0.01).
Statistical Analysis
Term 2
The statistical package Minitab16 (release 12) was used to The 1.5-mile run times showed no change, and the MSFT
analyze the data. Repeated-measures analysis of variance
(ANOVA). one factor between subjects (gender) and one factor
within subjects (test occasion), was used to compare the fitness
results. If the overall ANOV A tests proved significant, post hoc
independent and paired t tests were used to examine differences
between gender and test occasion, respectively. No adjustment
performance times deteriorated in term 2 by approximately 3%
(p < 0.01). DLS improved in both genders'in term 2 (p < 0.01),
with the female OCdts improving to a greater extent (17%) than
the males (2%) (p < 0.01). Overall, no changes in SLS or BES
were found. However, there was a tendency for the females to
improve SLS to a greater extent than the males (p < 0.05).
of p values was deemed necessary (e.g., Bonferroni) because all Female OCdts improved their abdominal curls in term 2 by 2%,
comparisons were planned. Male and female data are reported whereas male OCdt performance deteriorated by 1%. No signif-
combined unless statistical differences were found. A two-way icant changes were noted in the other components of fitness
ANOV A using gender and injury was used to investigate the
relationship between fitness and injury. Statistically significant
differences were accepted at p < 0.05.
measured. Body mass increased by approximately 3% and percent
BF by 4%, whereas FFM decreased by 1% in male and
female OCdts.
Results
The fitness results (mean :!: SO) for male and female OCdts on
each test occasion are sho\Vll in Table I. The results from the
ANOVAs identified significant main effects for both gender and
test occasion for all fitness variables. Consequently. post hoc t
tests were performed to establish when changes in fitness status
had occurred.
Term 3
In term 3. performance on the 1.5-mile run was unchanged
and performance on the MSFT improved in male (8%) and deteriorated
in female (3%) OCdts (p < 0.01). SLS and DLS improved
by approximately 3% (both p < 0.05). No improvements in muscular
endurance were found. Body mass increased by approximately
2%. percent BF was reduced by 2% (p < 0.05), and FFM
increased by 3% in male and female OCdts (p < 0.05).
Term 1
Terms 1 to 3
In tenn 1. aerobic fitness ~s measured by both tests improved
(p < 0.01). Female OCdts showed greater improvements in per-
Duling the 44-week CC (i.e., from the start of term 1 to the
end of term 3), improvements in all components of fitness were
formance than male OCdts (11 vs. 9% in the 1.5-mile run!p < evident. Aerobic fitness as measured by the MSFT improved by
0.011, and 16 vs. 5% in the MSFT [p < 0.05]). No improvements 10% for male and female OCdts (p < 0.01). Time to complete the
Military Medicine, Vol. 164. June 1999
TABLE I
FITNESS RESULTS AT WEEKS 13.27. AND 40
8J

432 Fitness, Perfonnance. and Risk of InjulY
Gender
Male
Male
Female
Female
TABLE ill
5-MILE RUN TIMES BY GENDER AND INJURY
Injury
No
Yes
No
Yes
Mean Run Time
(seconds)
558
568
676
730
SD
12.5
10.9
20.7
16.9
tionship between 1.5-mile run time and injury, with the men
and women who sustained injuries having slower run times
than those who did not (p < 0.05). The results are shown in
Table III. No interactive effects of gender were found in this
relationship.
Discussion
In e,'aluating our primary objective of investigating the effectiveness
of the CC to develop and maintain standards of individual
fitness, it must be recognized that fitness represents only
one aspect of the objectives of the CC and only part of the JYr
obj ecti"es , The overall objective of the CC is to develop the
qualities of leadership, character, and intellect demanded of a
British Army officer. The implementation of any changes to the
CC based on the findings of this study need to bear in mind the
broader context and wider objectives of the CC,
The effectiveness of the JYr program is ostensibly confirmed by
the finding that 91 % of OCdts who completed the CC achieved
their formal JYr objectives at the first attempt and all OCdts
passed on subsequent attempts. These JYr objectives include the
combat fitness test (an 8-mile loaded march), the commandant's
individual fitness test (a 3.2-mile loaded march plus assault
course), the basic fitness test (1.5-mile run, pull-ups, and situps),
plus additional physical skills such as swimming, indoor
assault course, and agility.
However, the high pass rate does not in itself mean that the
CC was effective in improving fitness, nor does it demonstrate
that these OCdts were fit to perform the variety of physical tasks
demanded of their jobs, This study found that although the CC
as a whole produced training-related gains in all components of
fitness that are known to be related to military performance,
there were variations in the magnitude and direction of change
and in the rates of progression during the three terms and
between genders, Although it might be argued that the magnitude
of improvement and the rates of progression in fitness are
of little importance given that the training objectives were
achieved, this argument is flawed for several reasons,
First, both fmancial and human resources are limited during
the CC, as they are in all armed forces in NATO countries, and
there is a drive toward efficiency and optimization of training
regimens, An optimal training program will involve progressive
changes in fitness to the point at which the fitness objectives
have been achieved. A maintenance fitness program should be
used to maintain desired fitness levels and to prevent a decline, 1
Second, a smooth, progressive fitness gain achieved through
appropriate activities and an appropriate volume of training is
associated with lower rates of injury ,17.18 Despite the reductions
brought about under the British government's Options for
Military Medicine. Vol. 164. June 1999
Change. 19 the Blitish Army faced a shortfall in manpower. At
tlition through injury must be minimized to protect the Army's
most valuable asset.
Third. the training objectives of the CC may not reflect the
depth or breadth of the true demands of soldieling or of fulfilling
the duties required of an officer. Meeting the CC's fYr objectives,
therefore, may not be the most appropliate clitelion against
which to judge the physical training program.
Analysis of the changes in the different components of fitness
throughout the CC reveals the lack of smooth progression of
fitness and the failure to maintain standards of fitness, thereby
providing an insight into when and where modifications to the
program (both in the fYr and other aspects of the program) might
be sought.
Aerobic fitness improved by approximately 10% duling the
cr. Most of this gain occurred in term 1. when the majolity of
the running endurance training occurred. and fe\v changes occurred
thereafter, when the number of fYr peliods was reduced
and running endurance training was largely replaced by progressive
marching endurance training. It appears that there was
barely sufficient aerobic training stimulus to maintain aerobic
fitness duling subsequent terms.
The improvements in aerobic fitness in term 1 are largely
comparable with those improvements seen duling basic military
training in several NATO countlies1.20 and with those seen during
OCdt training in the United States!8 The greater initial
gains in aerobic fitness in female OCdts relative to their male
colleagues in this study and the studies of Daniels et al.? probably
reflect both a lower initial level of fitness and a greater loss
in body fat (see below). The decline in fitness levels of female
OCdts in the later stages of training also mirror the findings of
Daniels et al.,8 suggesting that the stimulus for increasing aerobic
fitness early duling longer military training courses is not
sustained and that greater attention needs to be paid to maintaining
aerobic fitness levels, especially in females.
Strength gains were modest and equivocal. improving by between
0 and 9% duling the CC, with most of the improvement
occurling in terms 2 and 3, perhaps as a result of the cumulative
effects of battle fYr. which included some strength-related
activities such as rope and wall climbing. The modest increases
are not unexpected given the lack of emphasis afforded to
strength training in the Blitish Army in general4.6 and in the CC
fYr program in particular. However, this lack of emphasis is
surplising in light of the importance of strength-related material
handling activities reported for the U.S. Army,21.22 the Canadian
Forces,23 and more recently the British Army. IS
No strength data are available for comparisons with other
OCdt populations. The improvements observed in this study do
not compare favorably with strength gains achieved duling
much shorter basic military training courses in other NATO
countries,l in which improvements were typically 5 to 15%.
However, they are in broad agreement with improvements documented
during British Army basic training, in which mean
changes were 7%20 and 2%.6
Muscular endurance as measured by abdominal curls improved
by 18% in male OCdts and 44% in female OCdts during
the cr. Pull-ups, the other test of "endurance," was more a test
of strength in the female OCdts, in that few of them could
achieve more than one or two repetitions. The percentage im-

Fitness. Perfonnance. and Risk of Injury
provement for the female OCdts, therefore, is misleading. Both
abdominal curls and pull-ups are part of the CC Term Fitness
Assessment, which, as the name suggests, is conducted each
term. OCdts practiced these tests, although did not train for
them in any systematic or sustained manner. The greater improvements
in these test scores demonstrate the potential for
fitness gains during the CC with more structured and focused
JYf. Again, most of the improvements were achieved during term
1. This was probably a function of the greater potential for gains
associated with lower initial levels of fitness and the greater
concentration of JYf lessons and a greater training intensity
early in the 44-week program.
There are no comparative muscular endurance data on OCdts
in the literature. A comparison with changes in abdominal curls
I and pull-ups during recent British Army basic training studies
showed improvements of 37% for abdominal curls in a mixedgender
group and 11% for pull-ups in men.2o
Body mass, BF, and FFM all exhibited fluctuating changes
during the CC. Although body mass was the same at the end of
the CC as at the beginning, changes did occur during the three
terms. The 3% decrease in body mass seen in term 1 was compensated
for by a similar increase in term 2, and term 3 witnessed
a further 2% increase, resulting in OCdts ending the CC
heavier than they began. A recent study in the United Kingdom
showed no change during 10 weeks of basic training,20 although
no data exist on OCdts.
Changes in BF were also neither smooth nor systematic during
the year, although the net result was a reduction of approximately
3% during the CC. Term 1 witnessed a substantial loss
of BF, especially in the females (6%), the loss corresponding to
the most physically demanding and hectic term. However, term
2 saw an increase in BF in men back to baseline levels, and term
3 witnessed a further reversal of the trend. There is no obvious
explanation for these fluctuations in terms 2 and 3, although
the general pace of life at the academy after term 1 was noticeably
more relaxed. BF was reported to be reduced initially in the
studies by Daniels et al.,7 although their 2-year studt saw
levels return to baseline by study end. A recent British Army
basic training study reported losses of 4.5% in female and 0.5%
in male recruits.20
FFM increased by approximately 3% during the CC, accounti
ing for most of the gain in body mass. although again the trends
, reversed during the year. Term 1 saw an increase of 2%.. term 2,
saw a slight downward turn, and term 3 saw a further increase
j of 3%. As discussed above, the absence of any systematic
strength training means that the observed gains in FFM are
difficult to link to the JYf program. A possible explanation for the
net gains might be found in the increasing physical maturation
, of the OCdts: FFM is reported to increase until around the age of
30.24 A recent study of British Army basic trainees saw a 5%
increase in FFM20 during the 10 weeks using the same measurement
techniques. Daniels et al.s reported a 6% increase in
OCdts of both genders.
The results from the representative military tasks indicate
that the majority of OCdts achieved, and many surpassed, the
minimum physical requirements set by their arms and services.
Only the level-l tasks (single lift, carry, and repetitive lift) resulted
in some failures. The small failure rates in the men (6 and
5% in the level-l single lift and repetitive lift. respectively) pro-
433
vide no cause for concern, but the failure rates in the female
OCdts (100, 25, and 50% in the level-l single lift, cany, and
repetitive lift, respectively) suggest that a sizable proportion of
females in the physically demanding trades do not have the
required physical capabilities to meet the standards set by their
arms and services.
There are three potential solutions to this problem. First,
redesign the tasks so that the physical standards, and the physical
demands on which they are based, are reduced. Second,
impose physical selection standards on entrants that will ensure
that the required output standards can be achieved given
the stimulus provided by the existing 44-week cr. Or third,
improve the effectiveness of the CC to produce larger gains in
fitness and physical performance to bridge any deficit between
the capabilities of the OCdts and the requirements of their jobs.
A modified PT program with an increased emphasis on resistance
training to increase strength, especially in the upper body,
would partly mitigate the projected failure rates on the representative
military tasks in female soldiers in the physically demanding
trades in the British Army.6
The 46% incidence of injury in OCdts in the fIrst 14 weeks of
training and the 5% loss of available man-days are not dissimilar
to statistics published for other military training regimens in
other countries. I However, the fmding that the incidence of
injury in male and female OCdts was similar is contrary to
reported fmdings that suggest that the incidence of injury
among female recruits is approximately double that among male
recruits. 1.25
The reasons for this discrepant finding are uncertain. One
plausible explanation is that male and female OCdts on the CC
train in single-gender platoons and must meet "gender-fair"
physical standards. This is in noticeable contrast to basic training
in the British Army, in which male and female recruits are
integrated in mixed-gender platoons and, as of April I, 1998,
common gender-free physical standards are applied at entry
and exit.
Given the differences between genders in the various aspects
of fitness,24 especially in upper body strength,26.27 a segregated
training program makes it easier to tailor the intensity of the
training stimulus to the fitness of the individual. This is especially
true in squad activities such as running and marching, in
which ability groups offer a greater potential for optimizing the
training stimulus and reducing the risk of injury .28
A number of risk factors for injury relating to fitness and
lifestyle have been identified in recruits.I.25.27.29 These factors
include low activity levels before commencing training, low aerobic
fitness and muscular strength, high body mass index. high
and low body fat, smoking, alcohol consumption, and previousinjury.
The size of the data set in this study was small, and the
sensitivity of the all-cause injury data was rather weak for this
type of analysis. Notwithstanding these limitations, we were
able to substantiate the association between aerobic fitness
levels as measured by the 1.5-mile run and the risk of all-cause
injury in this population of OCdts. This fmding substantiates
the rationale for aerobic fitness standards for entry into the
British Army not only to ensure operational effectiveness but
also to manage the risk of injury in soldiers.
While this study was being conducted, both the PT objectivesfor
the CC and the British Army's fitness strategy and policy
Military Medicine. Vol. 164. June 1999

1
434
were under review. The fonnulation of new policy is hindered by
a lack of understanding of the physical requirements of soldiering
in general and more specifically of soldiers of different ranks
and in different trades. Greater international efforts to understand
and quantify the physical demands of soldiering are required.
This infonnation should underpin the fonnulation of
The findings from this study suggest that the CC was effective
in inducing gains in most components of fitness that are relevant
to military performance, but the changes were generally
modest and equivocal. Aerobic fitness, muscular endurance,
and body composition showed small favorable improvements,
but there was minimal improvement in muscular strength,
probably because of a lack of any formal strength training in the
program. There is scope for optimizing the effectiveness of the
CC to develop and maintain fitness.
The majority of OCdts achieved the minimum physical requirements
set by their arms and services. However, a sizable
proportion of female OCdts in the physically demanding trades
failed to meet the standards. If female OCdts are to meet these
stanrlards, either the military tasks must be redesigned, appropriate
physical selection standards must be implemented, or the
IYr must be made more effective. Strength training is noticeably
absent from the IYr program, and its inclusion offers scope for
optimizing military task performance.
All-cause injury rates in OCdts were high, with 46% of OCdts
sustaining injuries in the first 14 weeks of training, but these
figures were in line with those from other military training programs.
The incidence of injury in male and female OCdts was
similar. An association between aerobic fitness levels and risk of
all-cause injury in this population of OCdts was found, substantiating
the desirability for mcluding aerobic fitness assessment
in the selection procedures.
Acknowledgement
This work was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Defence.
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