WASHINGTON (AP) -- A military official says an increasing number of soldiers are being sidelined with muscle and bone injuries caused by carrying combat loads weighing as much as 130 pounds.
Gen. Peter Chiarelli said Wednesday that research is being done to determine how many troops are affected by stress fractures, sprains and other orthopedic problems that prevent them from shipping out with their units. He says the numbers are likely to keep going up as more soldiers are shipped to Afghanistan, where the terrain, elevation and road conditions are much more challenging than in Iraq.
Chiarelli said the wear-and-tear injuries have not affected the Army's ability to field effective combat units. But he and other service officials are concerned and want to reverse the trend.
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