Incidence and risk factors associated with knee injuries among active-duty military personnel in Saudi Arabia

Background: The numbers of musculoskeletal injuries and related risk factors are high, especially in military representatives, since they perform constant physical activities. One of the most common injuries is the knee injury. Although there are many studies relating to knee injuries in the military personnel, none of them have been conducted to estimate the incidence of this injury in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the incidence of knee injuries and risk factors among the military personnel on active duty in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This study included n = 2230 patients with knee injuries with a mean age 42.73 and standard deviation ± 16.343 from military branches of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between 2010 and 2016. Data were collected from Saudi military hospitals and statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression models. During the study, no injuries aggravations of existing injuries or conditions were reported. Results: The frequency distribution showed that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries were the most common of knee injuries (45.2%) followed by meniscus injury (24.9%) and internal derangement (10.1%) with an incidence rate 4.57, 0.25, and 0.10 respectively. Chi-square test revealed that sports are the most significant factor relating to all knee injuries (30.5%), followed by twisting injuries at 25% (P = 000). Conclusion: Future studies are recommended to generate effective measures to reduce the influence of preventable risk factors, such as sports and related physical activities, that contribute to knee injuries.