Evaluation of Environmental Sensors in Training: Performance Outcomes and Symptoms during Airborne and Combatives Training

Investigating the feasibility and potential validity of using biomechanical environmental sensor technologies to improve the detection of potentially concussive events that could lead to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Army Medical Research and Development Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been labeled as the “signature injury” of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF and OEF). More than 20% of service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan are estimated to have sustained at least one TBI. Depending on the severity of the TBI, symptoms may last from a few days to several years following the injurious event. Moreover, repeated TBIs may result in more severe and long-term consequences.

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), in conjunction with the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, track TBI diagnoses for all U.S. military personnel (deployed and non-deployed). DVBIC reported that 383,947 TBI diagnoses of all severities were made between 2000 and 2018-Q1. Of the diagnosed TBI cases, 82.3% (315,897) were classified as mild in severity (also referred to as concussion). In 2013, it was recognized that at least 80% of TBI diagnoses were made in a non-deployed (garrison) setting. TBI diagnoses in the non-deployed setting may be the result of vehicle crashes (private or military-owned), falls, sports and recreational activities, or military training.