Abstract:[Objective] To explore the occurrence characteristics and risk factors of bone stress injuries (BSI) in recruits of an army
training base. [Methods] The recruits were randomly selected from a training base of the army from 2021 to 2023. The data were collected
through questionnaire survey and inspection, and their epidemiological characteristics were summarized and analyzed. [Results] A total of
11 627 valid questionnaires were collected, among which 1 626 recruits were diagnosed with BSI (14.0%), including 1 010 cases of tibia in-
jury, accounted for 62.1%. As results of univariate comparison, the injured group proved significantly higher than the uninjured group in
terms of the proportion of female [n, male/female, (1 583/43) vs (9 981/190), P=0.047], age [(21.3±2.4) y vs (21.1±2.0) y, P=0.002], BMI
[(22.6±2.5) kg/m2 vs (22.4±2.3) kg/m2, P=0.004], smoking [n, yes/no, (679/947) vs (3 625/6 379), P<0.001], PSQI score [(4.6±2.8) vs (2.3±
2.3), P<0.001] and previous sports injury before joining the army [n, yes/no, (173/1453) vs (618/9383), P<0.001], while the former was infe-
rior to the latter in terms of diet [n, good/fair/poor, (5 048/4 033/920) vs (533/829/264), P<0.001], sleep [n, excellent/good/fair/poor, (6 063/
2 782/1 026/130) vs (724/575/271/56), P<0.001], exercise habits [n, never/occasionally/often, (673/2 611/6 717) vs (259/577/790), P<0.001], foot arch [n, normal/abnormal, (8 938/1 063) vs (1 394/232), P<0.001], ligament relaxation score [n, <3/≥3, (8 397/1 604) vs (1 320/
306), P=0.005], scores of 3 000 m running [n, excellent/good/fair, (1 140/4 756/4 105) vs (127/576/923), P<0.001] and sit-ups [n, excellent/
good/fair/poor, (2 473/3 604/3 479/445) vs (320/522/644/140), P<0.001]. Regarding binary multivariate logistic regression analysis, male
(OR=0.630, P<0.05), good diet (OR=0.786, P<0.05), non-injury before enlistment (OR=0.747, P<0.05) were the protective factor of BSI oc-
currence, whereas higher PSQI score (OR=1.335, P<0.05), less exercise before joining the army (OR=1.440, P<0.05), abnormal foot arch
(OR=1.176, P<0.05) and poor performance at 3 000 m running (OR=1.460, P<0.05) were the independent risk factor for the injury. [Conclusion] The incidence of bone stress injury was 14.0%, with highest involved site of the tibia . Gender, diet quality, exercise injury before
military service, exercise habits before military service, PSQI score, foot arch shape and 3 000 m running performance could be used as risk
assessment indicators of bone stress injury.