A Word From Our Publisher |
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Greetings JSOM Newsletter Subscribers,
It's hard to believe another year has passed and this is the final newsletter of 2021. The Journal of Special Operations Medicine has grown significantly in the last year. We now reach subscribers in over 80 countries through the journal, social media, and on our podcast.
I am so grateful to the JSOM staff and editorial board, as well as our sponsors, authors, contributors, readers and social media followers who continue to support the mission of our publication.
Happy Holidays from all of us at the Journal of Special Operations Medicine. We hope you have a safe and wonderful New Year.
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Respectfully,
Michelle DuGuay Landers, MBA, BSN, RN
Breakaway Media, LLC
Publisher
Journal of Special Operations Medicine (JSOM)
Lt Col, USAF/NC (Ret)
publisher@jsomonline.org
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Journal of Special Operations Medicine Featured Abstracts |
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ABSTRACT
This article provides updated information comparing minimalist running shoes (MRS) to conventional running shoes (CRS). Our previous review found that, compared with running in CRS, transitioning to MRS resulted in lower energy cost and less ground contact occurring at the forefoot, resulting in lower impact forces. There was some increased risk of injury with MRS, although data were conflicting. A more recent 26-week study involved 30 trained runners using CRS and 31 using MRS. The proportion of training time in the assigned shoes increased by 5% each week. After the first 6 weeks of transition (35% of training time in the assigned shoe), energy cost was lower and 5-km running time faster in MRS compared with CRS. No further improvement occurred from weeks 6 to 26. There were no significant differences in injury incidence in the two groups (CRS = 37%, MRS = 52%; p = .24). Running-related pain was higher in the MRS group in the knee, shin, calf, and ankle and increased at these locations as running mileage increased. Risk of injury in MRS increased as participant body weight increased. These more recent data suggest that MRS can improve performance, but most runners should limit running in MRS to 35% of training time and in situations where optimal performance is desired (e.g., races, fitness tests).
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ABSTRACT
Background: Military personnel supplement caffeine as a countermeasure during unavoidable sustained wakefulness. However, its utility in combat-relevant tasks is unknown. This study examined the effects of caffeinated gum on performance in a tactical combat movement simulation. Materials and Methods: Healthy men (n = 30) and women (n = 9) (age = 25.3 ± 6.8 years; mass 75.1 ± 13.1 kg) completed a marksmanship with a cognitive workload (CWL) assessment and a fire-andmove simulation (16 6-m bounds) in experimental conditions (placebo versus caffeinated gum, 4mg/kg). Susceptibility to enemy fire was modeled on bound duration during the fireand- move simulation. Results: Across both conditions, bound duration and susceptibility to enemy fire increased by 9.3% and 7.8%, respectively (p = .001). Cognitive performance decreased after the fire-and-move simulation across both conditions (p < .05). However, bound duration, susceptibility to enemy fire, marksmanship, and cognitive performance did not differ between the caffeine and placebo conditions. Conclusion: These data do not support a benefit of using caffeinated gum to improve simulated tactical combat movements.
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December 2021 Featured Article |
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Impact of a 10,000-m Cold-Water Swim on Norwegian Naval Special Forces Recruits
Melau J, Hisdal J, Solberg PA. 21(3). 55 - 59. (Journal Article)
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ABSTRACT
Background: Special Operation Forces (SOF) operate regularly in extreme environmental conditions that may affect tactical and physical performance. The main aims of the present study were to elucidate the impact of a long cold-water swim on SOF recruits' dexterity, performance, and reaction time. Material and Methods: Eleven recruits from Norwegian Naval Special Operation Command (NORNAVSOC) that were participating in a 10,000-m open water swim with a dry suit in 5°C cold water volunteered to participate in this study. The exercise was part of their training. Grip strength, lower body power, and dexterity were measured before, immediately after, and 24 hours after the swim. In addition, core and skin temperatures were measured continuously during the swim and until 45 minutes after the swim. Results: After the swim, moderate to large reductions in core temperature, lower body power, and reaction time were observed. Moreover, very large to extremely large reductions in skin temperature, grip strength, and dexterity were also observed. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that exposure to a 10,000-m swim in 5°C water using standard equipment led to a significant drop in the recruits' temperature and performance. These findings could have a meaningful impact on the planning of training, operations, and gear used for SOF.
Keywords: stress hormones; body temperature; skin temperature; military medicine; swimming; physical fitness; combat swimmer; combat diver
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The Journal of Special Operations Medicine Podcast |
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The JSOM podcast digs deeper into the articles and subjects that matter to our readers. Our podcast hosts, Captains Alex Merkle and Josh Randles, tackle articles from the journal based on merit, interest, and application for operators in the field. In addition, the podcast features a special, not to be missed Interview Series with leaders, doctors, and authors. |
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FALL 2021
In this episode of the JSOM Podcast, Alex and Josh start by reviewing, "Timeline of Psychological and Physiological Effects Occurring During Military Deployment on a Medical Team" by Hall, et. al. Guest reviewer Rico Pesce and SSG Meredith Cole review "Blood Product Administration During Transport Throughout the US Africa Command Theater of Operation," by Schauer, et. al. Josh and Alex discuss, "Impact of a 10,000m Cold-Water Swim on Norwegian Naval Special Forces Recruits" with author Jorgen Melau.
Hall AB, Qureshi I, Wilson RL, Glasser JJ
Schauer SG, Naylor JF, Fisher AD, Hyams DG, Carius BM, Escandon MA, Linscomb CD, McDonald H, Cap AP, Bynum J
Melau J, Hisdal J, Solberg PA
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Highlights from the JSOM Special Talk Series |
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COL (Ret) Russ Kotwal, MD, MPH
Dr. Kotwal spent nearly 30 years in the military and more than 15 years in operational assignments with the 25th Infantry Division, 75th Ranger Regiment, and U.S Army Special Operations Command. He deployed to combat 12 times with the Rangers -- nine times to Afghanistan and three to Iraq. He conducted hundreds of combat ground and air missions as the senior medical provider and is highly decorated, including five Bronze Star medals, two Joint Service Commendation medals for Valor, and two combat jump stars, among many others. Dr. Kotwal is also a master parachutist, master flight surgeon, and Ranger qualified. He is credited with numerous novel training and technology initiatives, professional publications, and national and international presentations related primarily to prehospital medicine on the battlefield. Dr. Kotwal is an adjunct professor for both the Texas A&M Health Science Center and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He has been an advisor for the Defense Health Agency’s Joint Trauma System and Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, as well as the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, a Hero of Military Medicine award recipient, a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, an inductee into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame, and the current president of the Special Operations Medical Association.
MSG (Ret.) Rick Hines I
Rick Hines has a long history in Special Operations and is currently an instructor Special Warfare Training Group. He teaches at the SF Medical Sergeant Recertification Course and focuses on anesthesia and surgical care in the austere environment. Rick discusses the benefits of recycling at the 18D course, historical basis, and current practice of surgical care and anesthesia for the far forward Special Operations medic.
Dr. Kyle Stigall
Dr. Stigall attended the United States Air Force Academy for undergrad and the University of Kentucky for medical school. He is currently a fourth-year general surgery resident at Brooke Army Medical Center. He completed a research year at the Naval Medical Research Unit in San Antonio in 2020 with a focus on trauma resuscitation and plans to apply to the Air Force Special Operations Surgical Team next year.
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Please Support Our Sponsors |
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Institutional Subscribers |
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The JSOM is incredibly grateful to have the support of many institutions around the world. We would like to thank our recent institutional subscribers and re-subscribers for their support by acknowledging them in our eNewsletter and, when applicable, sharing their social media information.
Today, we welcome back several renewals:
Bundeswehr CALW, Germany
Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Defence Library Service Brisbane, Enoggera, Queensland, Australia
Defence Science and Technology Group, Melbourne, Australia
Deutsche Zentralbibliothek for Medizin, Koeln, Germany
Kainuun Keskussairaala, Kajaani, Finland
Latrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
We also have a new subscription from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas! Welcome!
Visit https://jsom.us/Library for a full list of institutions that are currently subscribing to the JSOM. We are beginning a campaign to expand our institutional subscriptions. If you think your company would benefit from an institutional subscription, let us know! We'll be happy to talk to you and get the ball rolling. You don't have to be a university or medical center to subscribe - we have many EMS units, government agencies, and military medical units both in the United States and abroad.
Are you on the list? Great! Need to know how to access our resources? You can either contact your head librarian, or shoot an email to subscriptions@JSOMonline.org.
Institutions receive either a print copy of our journal, digital access, or both. Digital subscribers have unlimited access to our full compendium of articles, journals, and the ATP-P. If you are a student, researcher, doctor, or other medical professional at one of these institutions, please contact your librarian for login details. Additionally, the digital resources are typically available 2-3 weeks ahead of print publication.
If your institution is not on the list and you would like more information about our institutional access, contact our subscriptions manager, Dr. Scott Graverson.
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Support the Journal of Special Operations Medicine |
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FORT BRAGG, NC.
DVIDS
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st. Class Garrett Rogers, right, and Sgt. 1st. Class Justin Gavit, assigned to Fort Belvoir Community Hospital at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, tend to a simulated casualty during a Prolonged Field Care event as part of the Regional Health Command-Atlantic 2021 Best Medic Competition at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Nov. 17, 2021. Eleven two-soldier teams competed at the RHC-A Best Medic Competition, and the winning team will move on to represent the region at the U.S. Army Medical Command’s 2022 Command Sgt. Maj. Jack L. Clark, Jr. U.S. Army Best Medic Competition at Fort Hood, Texas, Jan. 24-28, 2022.
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Journal of Special Operations Medicine
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