Male Military Cadets Research Articles

Associations between Body Segment Mass and Punch, Front Kick, or Countermovement Jump Performance in Military Cadets.

Despite the recognized influence of body mass on combat techniques, the relationship between body segment mass (BSM) and combat moves remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the striking arm mass (SAM), kicking leg mass (KLM), and body mass (BM) and the dynamic forces of direct punch (DP), palm strike (PS), elbow strike (ES), front kick (FK), and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance. Sixteen male military cadets (22.3 ± 1.8 years, 181.4 ± 7.0 cm, 82.1 ± 8.5 kg) performed combat techniques, with their performance measured by using a force plate and their body segment mass assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Spearman's correlation analysis, the Wilcoxon test, and Cohen's d were applied. The results indicated the relationship between the KLM or BM and the FK impulse (r = 0.64, p = 0.01; r = 0.52, p = 0.04, respectively) and CMJ impact force (r = 0.80, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.70, p ≤ 0.01, respectively). The FK peak and impact forces were moderately correlated with the CMJ jump height (r = 0.74, p ≤ 0.01; r = 0.77, p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the FK peak force was significantly higher than that for DP, PS, and ES (p ≤ 0.01, d = 3.32; p ≤ 0.01, d = 1.6; and p = 0.013, d = 1.3, respectively). The highest relationship was found between the KLM and the FK impulse; however, the difference in variability explained by the KLM versus the body mass was only 12%. This suggests that knowledge of the BSM did not provide a significantly better estimate of the dynamic forces of the punches and FKs than the knowledge of the BM.

Frontal plane projection angle predicts patellofemoral pain: Prospective study in male military cadets

BackgroundPatellofemoral pain (PFP) is a major source of knee pain. Identifying who may develop PFP is of paramount importance. PurposeTo assess whether Frontal plane projection angles (FPPA) and hand held dynamometry (HHD) strength measures can predict development of PFP. Study designProspective evaluation of individuals undertaking a military training programme. MethodsMale military recruits were enrolled and prospectively followed up from enrolment to completion of 12-weeks training. Lower limb kinematics (FPPA, Q-angle, hip adduction angle, knee flexion, ankle dorsiflexion, and rearfoot eversion angle) measured during running, single leg squatting (SLS), and single leg landing (SLL) and isometric muscle strength of hip abductors and knee extensors. ResultsBody mass, hip abductor muscle strength, Q-angle during SLS and SLL, FPPA during SLL all significantly different between the PFP and non-injured groups and predicted PFP, highest predictor variable was FPPA during SLL (Odds Ratio = 1.13, P = 0.01). A FPPA≥5.2° during SLL predicting PFP with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 70%. ConclusionParticipants who developed PFP had a number of physical factors significantly different than the non-injured group, most predictive was a larger FPPA during SLL, with angles greater than 5.2° associated with a 2.2x greater risk. Clinical relevanceAssessing FPPA during SLL could be used to determine who was predisposed to PFP.

Analysis of attitudes to vaccination against COVID-19 in personnel of rescue military formations of the EMERCOM of Russia

Relevance. Uncertainty and inconsistency of information related to the new coronavirus infection resulted in distrust in vaccination among population of different countries worldwide. Intention: To clarify attitudes to vaccination and some reasons for refusing vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic among military personnel. Methodology: 536 male military cadets of the university, who voluntarily underwent vaccination against COVID-19 as recommended by military authorities, were anonymously surveyed. The average age of the respondents was (21.5 ± 4.5) years. Two groups of cadets were formed: Group 1 (n = 465) with I and II category of fitness for work and Group 2 (n = 71) with III category of fitness for work according to professional psychological selection. The results were checked for the normality of distribution. Similarities (differences) in the answers between groups were assessed using χ2 criterion. Results and Discussion. A survey of military cadets revealed that professional psychological selection contributes not only to the effectiveness of professional training, but also to adherence to vaccination against COVID-19. If, according to the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, 55% of Russians have a positive attitude to being vaccinated against COVID-19, such persons amounted to 91.6% (p < 0.001) among cadets assigned to categories I-II and to 47.9% among those assigned to category III of fitness for work based on professional psychological selection. Up to 4.7% of cadets in Group 1 and 29.6% in Group 2 (p < 0.001) mentioned possible early complications during vaccination, for example, being affected by COVID-19. The authors of the vaccine also claim a small percentage of possible complications in the early post-vaccination period. In this regard, the answers of the cadets in Group 1 are quite consistent with the opinion of the scientists and developers and indicate the validity of the studies. Conclusion. Increased anxiety in a situation of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic can be overcome by timely informing the public about vaccine effectiveness and contraindications by medical professionals.

Effect of propolis supplementation on athletic performance, body composition, inflammation, and oxidative stress following intense exercise: A triple-blind randomized clinical trial.

BackgroundEmerging evidence indicates that propolis as a novel potential antioxidant has unique benefits. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of propolis on oxidative stress, inflammation, body composition, and athletic performance in healthy active subjects.MethodsThis clinical trial was conducted on 54 male military cadets. Eligible subjects were randomly allocated to receive a single dose of 450 mg propolis twice daily for four weeks or a matching placebo containing microcrystalline cellulose. Cooper 12‐min run test and running‐based anaerobic sprint test were performed to measure aerobic and anaerobic performance. Blood samples were obtained immediately after Cooper's test to evaluate oxidative stress and inflammation status. Fat mass and fat‐free mass were analyzed using bioelectrical impedance.ResultsMean changes in fat mass, fat‐free mass, anaerobic powers, fatigue index, and VO2 max did not differ significantly between the two groups after the adjustment for baseline values (P‐value>0.05). A significant change was observed in plasma levels of IL‐6 (−1.43 ± 0.11pg/mL), total oxidant status (−3.9 ± 0.2µmol/L), total antioxidant capacity (164 ± 12 µmol/L), malondialdehyde (−0.52 ± 0.03µmol/L), oxidative stress index (−0.45 ± 0.04), and glutathione (48.72±2µmol/L) in the propolis group compared with the placebo group after the adjustment for baseline values and weight changes (P‐value<0.05). Although IL‐10 concentrations had no significant changes in both groups, the ratio of IL‐6/IL‐10 significantly reduced in the propolis group compared with the placebo group (−0.174 ± 0.015 versus. 0.051 ± 0.014; P‐value: 0.041).ConclusionsOur results indicated that propolis might have beneficial effects on oxidative stress and inflammation following intense activities in healthy male subjects.

But how many push-ups can she do? The influence of sexism on peer ratings in a military setting

Perceived gender differences remain salient in occupational settings and biases that arise maintain inequalities. We examined rater behavior of male military cadets to test how hostile sexism impacted occupationally-relevant attributions, namely, perception of peers' physical fitness, social skill, and military demeanor, items from a larger rating system and previously linked to gender bias. Linear mixed models determined how ratings were influenced by raters' own beliefs or performance, ratee performance, and whether these relationships differed by ratee gender (N = 2520 raters and 4154 ratees). Men with sexist beliefs rated women lower on military demeanor and physical fitness. Sexism was further associated with rating women's physical fitness, more so than other men's, according to push-up scores, suggesting sexist men “keep track” of women's upper body capabilities. Physical fitness scores were positively related to military demeanor rating for women but unrelated to men's score, regardless of rater's sexism. Overall, ratings were associated with different performance characteristics for men vs. women, especially for physical abilities, suggesting a mechanism for expression of gender bias in a field setting.

Bilateral iliac stress fracture in a young male military cadet: report of an unusual case

Bilateral iliac stress fracture in a young male military cadet: report of an unusual case

Development of Android Application for Measuring Cardiovascular Endurance Fitness for Military Cadet Officers

Mobile software application has become a part of today’s lifestyle. This mobile app is designed to help society to be physically active. The application is named UPNM Cardio Fitness, and is developed on the Android platform. The original purpose of the application is to measure and analyse the level of cardiovascular fitness of 18 years old male Military cadet Officers through a 2.4 km run test. The application is based on a data base using Google Fusion Table that stores and analyses the data received. The application consists of two parts: information of the individual and their respective fitness norms that can be accessed either automatically or manually. The classification of the norms is obtained from the fitness norms of 120 male cadets aged 18 years old. The norms are grouped into five categories which are: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Moderate and Poor. The software consists of 5 hyperlinks which are the main page, individual information, test result, file and record. The application is created using MIT App Inventor Software and Windows 7. The creation of the application has enabled researchers particularly in the Science Training programme in UPNM to carry out tests as well as to identify the level of fitness of their trainees immediately, accurately, and systematically.

Selective Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Detected With Exercise Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome that is refractory to conservative management should be treated with surgical fasciotomy. However, owing to the limitations of intracompartmental needle manometry in reaching a definite diagnosis, the appropriate timing for fasciotomy and on which compartment remain unclear. The authors report the case of a 22-year-old male military cadet who reported pain in his left calf when running or walking for long distances. The pain was located at the lateral aspect of the calf, from the mid-calf level to the ankle. At another hospital, nonenhanced magnetic resonance imaging had been performed, which showed no considerable abnormality. The authors used exercise magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose chronic exertional compartment syndrome. They performed selective fasciotomy on the compartment that showed a high signal intensity. As a military cadet, the patient was required to jog for more than an hour per day and perform strenuous muscle exercises. He reported that he did not have calf pain or discomfort during such activities 13 months postoperatively. The authors obtained a follow-up exercise magnetic resonance image. Compared with the preoperative magnetic resonance image, the follow-up exercise magnetic resonance image did not show high signal intensity at the lateral compartment. Exercise magnetic resonance imaging is useful in confirming the diagnosis of chronic exertional compartment syndrome and enables the performance of selective fasciotomy on the affected compartment. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(6):e1099-e1102.].

Understanding help-seeking intentions in male military cadets: An application of perceptual mapping.

BackgroundResearch suggests that men are less likely to seek help for depression, substance abuse, and stressful life events due to negative perceptions of asking for and receiving help. This may be exacerbated in male military cadets who exhibit higher levels of gender role conflict because of military culture.MethodsThis exploratory study examined the perceptions of 78 male military cadets toward help-seeking behaviors. Cadets completed the 31-item Barriers to Help Seeking Scale (BHSS) and a component factor analysis was used to generate five composite variables and compare to validated factors. Perceptual mapping and vector modeling, which produce 3-dimensional models of a group’s perceptions, were then used to model how they conceptualize help-seeking.ResultsFactor analysis showed slightly different groupings than the BHSS, perhaps attributed to different characteristics of respondents, who are situated in a military school compared to general university males. Perceptual maps show that cadets perceive trust of doctors closest to them and help-seeking farthest, supporting the concept that these males have rigid beliefs about having control and its relationship to health seeking. Differences were seen when comparing maps of White and non-White cadets. White cadets positioned themselves far away from all variables, while non-White cadets were closest to “emotional control”.ConclusionTo move these cadets toward help-seeking, vector modeling suggests that interventions should focus on their general trust of doctors, accepting lack of control, and decreasing feelings of weakness when asking for help. For non-White cadets a focus on self-reliance may also need to be emphasized. Use of these unique methods resulted in articulation of specific barriers that if addressed early, may have lasting effects on help-seeking behavior as these young men become adults. Future studies are needed to develop and test specific interventions to promote help-seeking among military cadets.

Visuo-spatial path learning, stress, and cortisol secretion following military cadets’ first parachute jump: the effect of increasing task complexity

The present field experiment examined how multi-trial visuo-spatial learning and memory performance are impacted by excessive arousal, instigated by a potentially life-threatening event (i.e., a first parachute jump). Throughout a parachute training activity, subjective and neuroendocrine (i.e., cortisol) stress levels were assessed of 61 male military cadets who were randomly assigned to a control (n = 30) or a jump stress condition (n = 31). Post-stress learning and memory capacity was assessed with a 10-trial path-learning task that permitted emergence of learning curves. Pre-activity cortisol concentrations indicated a significant neuroendocrine anticipatory stress response in the stress group. Following parachuting, subjective stress levels and salivary cortisol reactivity differed significantly between groups. Visuo-spatial path-learning performance was impaired significantly after jump stress exposure, relative to the control group. Moreover, examination of the learning curves showed similar learning and memory performance at onset of the trials, with curves bifurcating as the task became more complex. These findings are in accordance with leading theories that acknowledge a moderating effect of task complexity. In sum, the present study extends knowledge concerning anticipatory stress effects, endogenously instigated cortisol reactivity, and the influence of extreme arousal on visuo-spatial path learning.

Attention to novel and target stimuli in trauma survivors

Trauma and its consequences can have lasting biological and cognitive effects on those who experience them. This study investigated the extent to which trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dissociation influenced attention to basic auditory stimuli in a sample of military cadets. After filling out a series of psychometric questionnaires, 27 male military cadets varying in their trauma history participated in the “novelty” oddball task in which participants were asked to count high-pitched tones while ignoring other auditory stimuli. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was continually recorded in order to assess P300 responses, an event-related potential (ERP) associated with attention and memory processes. Trauma history only, and not dissociation or PTSD scores, predicted smaller P300 amplitudes to target tones. To distracting novel sounds, only trauma history and dissociation predicted unique variance in P300 amplitudes. The findings suggest that PTSD may not be central to the attentional disturbances found in traumatized samples, while trauma history and dissociation may play a more important role. Future studies investigating attentional processes post trauma should utilize dissociation scales and a non-trauma sample.

Decisions to shoot in a weapon identification task: The influence of cultural stereotypes and perceived threat on false positive errors

The decision to shoot a gun engages executive control processes that can be biased by cultural stereotypes and perceived threat. The neural locus of the decision to shoot is likely to be found in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), where cognition and affect converge. Male military cadets at Norwich University (N=37) performed a weapon identification task in which they made rapid decisions to shoot when images of guns appeared briefly on a computer screen. Reaction times, error rates, and electroencephalogram (EEG) activity were recorded. Cadets reacted more quickly and accurately when guns were primed by images of Middle-Eastern males wearing traditional clothing. However, cadets also made more false positive errors when tools were primed by these images. Error-related negativity (ERN) was measured for each response. Deeper ERNs were found in the medial-frontal cortex following false positive responses. Cadets who made fewer errors also produced deeper ERNs, indicating stronger executive control. Pupil size was used to measure autonomic arousal related to perceived threat. Images of Middle-Eastern males in traditional clothing produced larger pupil sizes. An image of Osama bin Laden induced the largest pupil size, as would be predicted for the exemplar of Middle East terrorism. Cadets who showed greater increases in pupil size also made more false positive errors. Regression analyses were performed to evaluate predictions based on current models of perceived threat, stereotype activation, and cognitive control. Measures of pupil size (perceived threat) and ERN (cognitive control) explained significant proportions of the variance in false positive errors to Middle-Eastern males in traditional clothing, while measures of reaction time, signal detection response bias, and stimulus discriminability explained most of the remaining variance.

Higher scores on the eating disorder inventory are related to bone loss in male military cadets

Abstract. There is little known on the impact of eating disorders on bone density in college-aged physically active males. This analysis included 70 Caucasian/Asian males that had 4 years of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements of the spine and hip and completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2). Slopes of change in spine and hip BMD were determined over 4 years. The only baseline differences were that males in the highest EDI quartile were heavier (173 vs. 158 lb, respectively, p = 0.06) and daily calcium intake was significantly lower (1620 mg vs. 1743 mg, respectively, p = 0.03). Calcium intake was not related to 4-year change in spine or hip BMD. EDI score was inversely related to 4-year change in both spine BMD ( r = − 0.165, p = 0.17) and hip BMD ( r = − 0.288, p p = 0.04). These differences persisted when controlling for weight and calcium intake. There is a possibility that subclinical eating disorders exist in a college age physically active population of males and could have significant detrimental effects on bone gain.

Deep Vein Thrombosis in an Athletic Military Cadet

Resident's case problem. A 21-year-old healthy athletic male military cadet with complaint of worsening diffuse left knee pain was evaluated 4 days after onset. The knee pain began 2 hours after completing a long car trip, worsened over the subsequent 3 days, and became almost unbearable during the return trip. The patient reported constant pain, limited knee motion, and difficulty ambulating. In addition, he was unable to perform physical military training or attend academic classes due to the severe left knee pain. Past medical history revealed a mild left lateral calf strain 21/2 weeks prior, which completely resolved within 24 hours of onset. Our physical examination led us to either monoarticular arthritis, pseudothrombophlebitis (ruptured Baker's cyst), or a lower leg deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as the cause of knee pain. Diagnostic imaging of this patient revealed a left superficial femoral vein thrombosis and popliteal DVT, with bilateral pulmonary emboli (PE). A systematic differential diagnosis was undertaken to rule out a potentially fatal DVT diagnosis as the cause of knee pain, despite minimal DVT risk factors. The physical therapist in a direct-access setting must ensure timely evaluation and referral of a suspected DVT, even when patient demographics cause the practitioner to question the likelihood of this diagnosis. The physical examination findings, clinical suspicion, and established clinical prediction rules can accurately dictate the appropriate referral action necessary.

Risk factors associated with exertional medial tibial pain: a 12 month prospective clinical study

Objective: To investigate in a military setting the potential role of intrinsic biomechanical and anthropometric risk factors for, and the incidence of, exertional medial tibial pain (EMTP). Methods: A prospective...