• Sandra M Conti, Laura R Kroening, Jeffrey J Molles, Matthew L Davenport, Rachel E Kinsler, and Amy L Lloyd.
• U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, 6901 Farrell Rd,, Fort Rucker, AL 36362.
• Mil Med. 2021 Jan 25; 186 (Suppl 1): 305-310.

IntroductionAn anonymous online survey was presented to active duty U.S. Army, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers with experience as en route care medical providers with the intent of identifying factors which contribute to musculoskeletal disorders in U.S. Army en route care medical providers. The survey looked at transport vehicle design, equipment, and awkward postures that could play a role in causing injuries.Materials And MethodsSurvey responses were received from 60 en route care providers regarding postures assumed during administration of en route critical care tasks, routine medical transport scenarios, and patient loading. Care providers reported gender, height, weight, experience, tasks, and awkward postures experienced. They also reported occupational injuries that occurred as a result of performing job duties, such as back, neck, and joint pain, injuries, and discomfort.ResultsThe survey was answered by 56 (93.3%) males and 4 females (6.7%) with an average of 7.34 years of experience as en route care personnel. Lower back injuries were suffered by 87% of respondents. The most common causes were awkward positions and lifting patients. There are statistically significant relationships between shoulder injuries and overextending, lower back injuries and overextending, and lower back injuries and reaching backwards, ankle injuries and care provider height, and knee injuries and the frequency at which care providers utilized the postures of kneeling, squatting, reaching behind themselves, and straining to lift a heavy weight. Loading and unloading patients from evacuation platforms was among the top causes of all awkward postures among respondents.ConclusionResults of this survey emphasize the need for injury mitigation and prevention strategies to reduce impacts on soldier health and readiness.© Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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