Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries in the Navy: A Systematic Review

Objectives: This study aimed to critically review the results of recent studies that investigated the epidemiology of noncombat-related musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) in the Navy. Methods: A systematic search was conducted of three major databases (Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane) to identify epidemiological studies on MSIs in the Navy. Study selection and risk of bias assessment were conducted. Results: The overall prevalence of MSIs ranged from 12.69% to 48.81%. And the prevalence of head and face injuries, upper extremity injuries, spine injuries, chest injuries, and lower extremity injuries were 0.11%–0.66%, 0.53%–11.47%, 0.75%–12.09%, 0.43%–0.95%, and 0.4%–21.17%, respectively. For the specific MSIs, the incidence ranged from 0.03/1000 person-years to 32.3/1000 person-years in the Navy and Marines. The ankle-foot, lumbopelvic, knee and lower leg, and shoulder were identified as the most frequent location for MSIs. Conclusion: This systematic review summarized that the Navy population had a high prevalence of MSIs. And different risk factors for MSIs varied from different anatomic locations. This systematic review also provided valuable information on MSIs for sports medicine specialists.