Female army recruits sustain injuries at much higher rates than male recruits. However, it is being reported that female injuries spiked last year.
Most of those injuries were musculoskeletal — meaning they affect the bones, muscles, joints and tendons of female recruits. Military.com obtained the injury data as the Army is looking for ways to boost recovery for men and women moving through boot camp.
During 2022, nearly 30% of female recruits were injured on average each month during Army basic training. The average was 23% per month between 2017 and 2022, the data shows. During those years, about 12% of male recruits were injured each month.
Military.com suggests that new recruits are increasingly overweight, and that contributes to more frequent injuries.
