Movement Competency Screen Predicts Performance in Female Military Academy Recruits

Authors: Alex M. Warshaw1, David D. Peterson2, Sharon M. Henry1
1 Rehabilitation and Movement Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
2 Kinesiology and Allied Health Department, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH, USA

Corresponding Author:
David D. Peterson, EdD, CSCS*D
Cedarville University
251 N. Main Street
Cedarville, OH 45314
ddpeterson@cedarville.edu
(937) 766-7761

Dr. Peterson is an associate professor of kinesiology at Cedarville University (CU) and currently serves as the Director of the Multi-Age Physical Education (MAPE) program at CU.

Movement Competency Screen Predicts Performance in Female Military Academy Recruits

ABSTRACT
Musculoskeletal injuries in military populations are a leading cause for reduced physical readiness (15). Utilizing a screening tool that predicts physical performance and injuries could help identify recruits who need remedial training or conditioning. The Movement Competency Screen (MCS) identifies poor movement patterns and suggests safe load levels for individuals (8). This study sought to establish the predictive ability of the MCS for injuries and performance in United States Naval Academy (USNA) recruits over four years. Fifteen female and 26 male recruits completed the MCS upon entry into the academy. The recruits’ Physical Readiness Test (PRT) scores and injury data were collected for eight semesters. Correlations between MCS scores and recruits’ number of injuries, missed “duty days”, and region of injury were identified using Pearson correlation coefficients. Additionally, correlations between MCS scores and recruits’ overall PRT score, number of push-ups, curl-ups, and their 1.5-mile run time were calculated. Within the first year at USNA recruits’ MCS scores correlated with the number of injuries and missed “duty days”; however, this correlation was not sustained. Recruits also experienced the most injuries in the first year. For female recruits, higher MCS scores correlated with better PRT scores, number of push-ups, and 1.5 mile run times. With its high inter- and intra-rater reliability (12), the MCS could be used to identify poor movement patterns and guide remedial training to help prevent future injury. Further research should focus on a larger military population to determine if the MCS’s predictive abilities go beyond a military academy population.
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2018-10-23T16:39:58-05:00November 1st, 2018|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off on Movement Competency Screen Predicts Performance in Female Military Academy Recruits

The Reliability and Predictive Ability of the Movement Competency Screen in a Military Population

Authors:
Milbank, E.J.1, Peterson, D.D.2, Henry, S.M.1,3
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT;
2U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
3Department of Rehabilitation Therapy, University of Vermont Medical Center

Corresponding Author:
Emily Milbank
Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science
C/o Sharon Henry
305 Rowell Building
106 Carrigan Drive
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05401-0068
802-324-5619
emilbank@uvm.edu

The Reliability and Predictive Ability of the Movement Competency Screen in a Military Population

ABSTRACT:
Purpose: Musculoskeletal injuries in the United States Armed Forces impacts operational readiness. Therefore, a reliable, valid screening tool that identifies injury risk and predicts performance is needed. The purpose of this study was to: (1) establish the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Movement Competency Screen (MCS) using a cohort of United States Naval Academy fourth class Midshipmen, (2) identify if a correlation exists between average total MCS scores and injury rates during training, and (3) identify if a correlation exists between average total MCS score and performance on the Physical Readiness Test (PRT).

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2016-08-10T13:30:45-05:00August 25th, 2016|Sports Medicine|Comments Off on The Reliability and Predictive Ability of the Movement Competency Screen in a Military Population
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