Dissertation study on the link between military footwear and lower extremity overuse injuries in soldiers

Professional military service involves high-intensity physical training, including field training exercises and marching, which increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. These injuries most commonly affect the knee joints and the lower leg and foot and are a serious problem increasing the financial burden of military healthcare and reducing the readiness of the army. They are also often the cause for premature discharge in NATO armies.

Soldiers wear special lace-up boots or military footwear during their service.

A study was conducted on soldiers of the Latvian Land Forces to understand how the military footwear that soldiers wear is linked to the risk of overuse injuries. Data from 227 soldiers was collected in two phases from 2018 to 2020.

The first phase of the study found that a large proportion of soldiers (42.7%) suffer from overuse injuries in the lower extremities and feet. In the second phase, the comfort of the shoes was determined and then the subjects’ gait both with shoes and barefoot was examined. Interestingly, soldiers who wore footwear that was not appropriate for the length of their foot rated the comfort of the footwear as lower.

The study also concluded that the use of military footwear promotes gait symmetry, additionally stabilises the heel bone, and reduces motion in the foot and ankle.

The results of the study reveal that changes in the gait cycle during barefoot walking are a significant factor in predicting the risk of overuse injuries in the lower extremities and feet. The study showed that the use of military footwear contributes to gait stability, but at the same time no direct correlation between the use of military footwear and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries was shown. The results of the study support the need to develop medical guidelines for examining the condition and gait of soldiers' feet.

Darja Ņesteroviča defended her thesis “Biomechanical Aspects of Military Footwear Usage and their Relationship with Lower Extremity Overuse Injuries” on 2 April 2024. Further information

RSU dissertation database