• June 30, 2026 | 11:25 AM - 12:20 PM
• PCC,113ABC

Beyond the Tactical Nap: Sleep and Musculoskeletal Injury in the Military

Sleep quality, or lack thereof, has been associated with increased musculoskeletal injury risk within the military, from active-duty to entry level training populations. However, metrics of sleep quality have also been found to influence injury risk. While wearable devices are beneficial to understand sleep quantity and quality on an individual level, these devices are often impractical on a population level. Fortunately, simple patient-reported tools can be used to identify those whose sleep patterns place them at increased risk for musculoskeletal injury. In addition, those with poor sleep patterns may have other indicators of wellness (e.g., nutrition) that warrant evaluation and intervention to help decrease modifiable risk factors.

Learning Objectives - Explain how sleep quantity and quality (e.g., social jet lag) influences musculoskeletal injury risk in military populations.
- Analyze the relationship between sleep health and other wellness factors (e.g., nutrition) that may contribute to increased injury risk.
- Apply patient-reported tools to identify sleep related issues that may increase injury risk in their patients.

Keywords: Social jet lag; Tactical athlete; Musculoskeletal injury risk