Britain to research soldiers’ hip problems

LONDON — A major research project to discover why so many members of Britain’s military suffer from hip problems was announced Thursday. Almost one-in-five of the trained armed forces in Britain have a diagnosed Musculoskeletal (MSKI) injury, with soldiers in the army the most likely to be medically downgraded, says the Ministry of Defense (MOD)

A research team from the Academic Department of Military Rehabilitation will lead the new groundbreaking project that could soon help military personnel with hip pain.

The study is being funded with a grant from Arthritis Research UK and brings together university academics, industry partners and MOD collaborators to investigate issues surrounding the risk factors and treatment of hip pain in the armed forces.

“Little is currently known about the causes of hip pain in military personnel and the evidence supporting popular treatment options is inconclusive,” said an MOD spokesman.

The research program will compare the effects of a residential rehabilitation program with conventional out patient care and examine the occupational risk-factors for hip pain in British military personnel.

Director of Defense Rehabilitation Col John Etherington said: “This research is essential to ensure our people receive the right treatment for their hip pain at the right time.”

Alex Bennett, head of research at Headley Court, the national rehabilitation center for the military, who is leading the study group, said determining the causes and optimal treatment for hip pain has important implications for young physically active military personnel.

He said the study will look at the role of occupational physical activity as a potential cause of hip pain which may open the door to preventing hip damage.