New Insights On An Old Problem A significant study on back pain in US Army soldiers was published this month. Results show that lower leg injury dramatically increases a soldiers risk for back pain. This study reinforces the idea that substantial alterations should be considered in fitness training for soldiers and treatment of injuries. The authors investigated the relationship between past lower leg injury (LLI) and the development of back pain. They examined whether lower leg injury would increase the overall risk for back pain compared to soldiers with no injury. They also studied whether the speed of back pain development was different between previously injured soldiers and healthy ones. Lower back pain (LBP) is one of the top 3 reasons for lost duty days in the Army, and lower leg injury one of the most prevalent injuries in the Army. That makes this study doubly important. The Results The