• Rafael Chieza Fortes Garcia, Adriane Mara de Souza Muniz, Douglas de Castro Jacinto, and Priscila Dos Santos Bunn.
• Escola de Educação Física do Exército, EsEFEx, Exército Brasileiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22291-090, Brazil.
• Mil Med. 2024 Nov 14.

IntroductionMilitary personnel confront heightened risks of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) because of the demanding nature of their duties, contributing to restricted active duty and financial burdens. Although preventable factors like training and physical fitness influence some injuries, understanding the enduring effects of previous MSIs on physical fitness in military personnel remains a critical gap. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze this impact.Materials And MethodsIn accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted, focusing on military personnel with and without a history of MSIs. Physical fitness components were assessed via observational studies, with isokinetic peak torque values as primary metrics. Quality assessments utilized the NIH Quality Assessment Tool and GRADE framework.ResultsOut of 36 papers, 6 met inclusion criteria, with 4 included in the meta-analysis. Across 1,267 participants, individuals with prior MSIs exhibited a significant reduction in the pooled effect size for isokinetic peak muscle force, with d+ = -0.25 (95% CI: -0.36 to -0.13), notably affecting knee and shoulder regions. These findings underscore the pervasive impact of MSIs on military personnel's physical performance, necessitating targeted interventions.ConclusionMilitary personnel with prior MSIs exhibit enduring deficits in isokinetic peak muscle force, particularly in knee and shoulder regions. However, evidence on the impact of previous injuries on other physical fitness components remains limited. Further research is crucial to understanding the multifaceted impact of MSIs on diverse aspects of physical performance, informing comprehensive injury prevention strategies and optimizing performance outcomes among military personnel.© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.

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