The Use of Force Plate Vertical Jump Scans to Identify Special Warfare Trainees at Risk for Musculoskeletal Injury: A Large Cohort Study

Abstract

Background: Vertical jump scans from commercially available force plate systems are increasingly used in military settings to screen for musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) risk. However, to date, no studies have determined the ability of these tools to identify tactical athletes at elevated risk for MSKI. Purpose: To (1) determine associations between scores from a force plate vertical jump test and the likelihood of experiencing an MSKI and to (2) establish the test-retest reliability of the output scores from the force plate system used. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 823 male Air Force Special Warfare trainees underwent force plate vertical jump screenings before entering an 8-week training course at US Air Force Special Warfare Training Wing. MSKI data were collected for the 8-week surveillance period for each trainee. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between baseline force plate jump scores and the likelihood of MSKI (any region) or a lower extremity MSKI (significance level, P = .05). The test-retest portion of the study collected force plate output scores from 12 trainees performing 3 trials of the standard test procedures. The reliability of 5 output scores was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) using a single rater. Results: All force plate output scores demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC >0.90). Overall 308 (36.4%) trainees had an MSKI during the surveillance period. However, no significant associations were found between the proprietary force plate vertical jump scan output scores and the likelihood of experiencing either an MSKI or a lower extremity MSKI. Conclusion: Output scores from this commercially available force plate system did not identify Air Force Special Warfare trainees at elevated risk of experiencing an MSKI.