Injuries associated with Road March in the 580 km University Volunteers Grand March = Injuries associated with Road March in the 580 km University Volunteers Grand March

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Backgrounds: Long-distance road marches have usually been conducted in the military in order to train soldiers. Interestingly, some South Korean college students sometimes participate in a road march. Prolonged road marches have produced specific physical problems. Objective: We investigated the incidence and location of a blister associated with the road march using plantar geographic mapping, and also other injuries associated with the road march. Methods: College student-volunteers (N=142) completed a 580-km road march over 21 days carrying an average load mass of 14.1±1.4 kg. Results: Overall, 95.1% (135/142) of the subjects sustained one or more injuries; 100%, foot blisters; 18%, other foot injuries. The most common locations of the blister developments were on the right 5th toe (61%); location 15 and the left 5th toe (57%); location 45. (Fig. 5, Fig. 6) March-related injuries other than those in the foot were ankle sprain / pain (in 12.7%), knee pain / sprain (in 12.7%) and Achilles tendon pain (in 7.7%). Because of injuries associated with the road march, 6 subjects (4.2%) were needed extra medical treatments more than 4 weeks for returning to their daily life even after completion of road march. Conclusion: Through the present investigation, a high incidence rate (95.1%) of injury was observed in association with the road march. Considering that the most common locations of the blister developments, the little toes seem to have been subjected to the greatest friction and shearing forces. The development and implementation of preventive interventions or education programs to reduce the incidence rate and duration of treatment for injuries associated with the road march is highly recommended.