Military human performance optimization and injury prevention: Strategies for the 21st century warfighter

This editorial discusses the special issue on Military Human Performance Optimization/ Injury Prevention for the current issue of Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. This special issue is dedicated to the topic of optimizing physical performance and reducing musculoskeletal injury. Effective military training should increase physical performance capabilities without incurring high rates of injury. Training injuries are not a badge of honor but rather indicate less than optimal training programs. Better understanding of all aspects contributing to the training ecosystem, including factors such as, musculoskeletal physiology, responses to a training stimulus and the influences of rest, nutrition, and personal health habits, provide a scientific basis for the design of training programs that will result in soldiers with greater job-specific capabilities. This special issue contains 18 manuscripts from 5 different organizations dedicated toward studying biomedical research solutions to benefit military physical performance and readiness. The Journal is pleased to be able to publish high quality research in the field of military human performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)