Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38782491›Full record

ArticleBMJ military health2025

Efficacy of neuromuscular exercises to promote movement quality and reduce musculoskeletal injury during initial military training in Royal Navy recruits.

Paul E Muckelt, C N T Power, J Patterson, L Stevens, C Powell, M B Warner, M J Stokes, J L Fallowfield

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ military health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Paul E MuckeltSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton-Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK p.muckelt@soton.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5995-881X
C N T PowerSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton-Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7417-2839
J PattersonHMS Drake, Plymouth, UK.
L StevensHeadquarters Defence Medical Services Group, Lichfield, UK.
C PowellPrimary Care Rehabilitation Facility, Defence Primary Healthcare, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, UK.
M B WarnerSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton-Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK.
M J StokesSchool of Health Sciences, University of Southampton-Highfield Campus, Southampton, UK.
J L FallowfieldInstitute of Naval Medicine, Gosport, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0606-8343

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMusculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) are a significant problem in the Royal Navy, contributing to 48% of all medical discharges from service between 2019 and 2020. The objective of the study was to assess efficacy of implementing a neuromuscular training intervention to improve movement quality and reduce MSKIs in Royal Navy recruits undertaking initial military training.

methodsNeuromuscular training (pre-activation exercises, focusing on hip control) was integrated into the warm-up exercise regimen preceding physical training during the 10-week initial naval training (recruits) programme (January-March 2020) at HMS Raleigh (intervention group; n=162). A control group comprised (n=90) of recruits entering training from January 2019, who completed the standard warm-up programme prior to physical training. Movement control of the intervention group (intervention) was assessed before and after the 10-week programme using the Hip and Lower-Limb Movement Screen (HLLMS). Injury incidence proportion for both groups was determined retrospectively by review of medical notes.

resultsThe control group's MSKI incidence proportion was 31%, which was higher (p<0.05) than the 8% reported in the intervention group. The majority of MSKIs were of the lower limb, and were reported in weeks 1, 2 and 5 of the 10-week training programme. Movement control, as assessed by the HLLMS score, improved (pretraining (week 1) and post-training (week 10) HLLMS score (mean (SD) pre: 11.2 (5.6); post: 8.4 (3.9); t=5.829, p<0.001) following the neuromuscular training in the intervention group but was not assessed in the control group.

conclusionA neuromuscular control intervention was successfully implemented during the initial military training in the Royal Navy. The cohort undertaking the intervention demonstrated lower injury incidence compared with an equivalent cohort of recruits who undertook standard training. Movement control improved following the intervention, indicating better movement quality. Continued use of the programme may reduce military training attrition in the Royal Navy.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyMilitary PersonnelAdultFemaleHumansMaleMovementPhysical Conditioning, HumanRetrospective StudiesUnited KingdomMusculoskeletal disordersOCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINEPREVENTIVE MEDICINERehabilitation medicineSPORTS MEDICINE

Identifiers

PMID38782491
PMCPMC12703270

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.