Case Control Study of Disabling Knee Injuries in the United States Army: Classification of Injury for Etiological Research

摘要

Injury is defined as 'harm or hurt; a wound or maim; usually applied to damage inflicted to the body by an external force' (1). It is projected to become one of the leading causes of disability and premature death in the developing world (2) and is currently the fourth leading cause of death in Americans (3). Among Americans under age forty-four, injury is the number one cause of death (3). This increasing trend in morbidity and mortality due to injury makes it an important aspect of public health that deserves increased attention, including epidemiological study. Musculoskeletal injuries, or injuries 'pertaining to or comprising the skeleton and the muscles, as musculoskeletal system' (1), are one of the most prevalent injuries that occur as a result of rigorous physical activity (4). Rigorous physical activity is typical of training and occupations in the Army where the prevalence of injury, and musculoskeletal injury in particular, is concordantly high (3,4). Among musculoskeletal injuries in the Army, knee injury is predominant probably due to the mechanically stressful nature of many types of Army jobs (S) and is especially important because it often leads to disability (6). Disability, on the other hand, is defined as the condition in which one is 'deprived of mental or physical ability'.