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UPITT Warrior Human Performance Research
Neuromuscular Research Laboratory
Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

 

Naval Special Warfare Projects

Group 2

 

Project Description:

US Navy SEALs are a principle special operations force and the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command. Naval Special Warfare Group 2(NSWG2) is the East Coast group of SEAL teams.

Research was designed to scientifically address the current injury prevalence of NSWG2 Operators and identify modifiable contributors to injury and optimal physical readiness.  A total of 302 Operators were enrolled and underwent a comprehensive human performance assessment for injury prevention and optimal physical readiness to evaluate biomechanical, musculoskeletal, physiological, and nutritional characteristics relative to injury and performance.

The data collect by the NMRL were provided to NSWG2’s Tactical Athlete Program (TAP) personnel for modification and current training. The current proposal will identify specific risk factors for unintentional musculoskeletal injuries; validate the effectiveness of NSWG2’s TAP and training to improve the suboptimal SEAL-Specific characteristics that have been identified; and initiate interval testing/surveillance to assess operational drain, reference following injury, and effectiveness of TAP to improve physical readiness.

Funding for the Naval Special Warfare Group 2 project has been provided by ONR Awards #N00014071190 / N000140810412 / N000141110929.

 

Personnel:

 

Little Creek Lab Staff

Jeffrey Parr, PhD, ATC, LAT, HFS

jparr@pitt.edu

Jeffrey is an Assistant Professor assigned to the Naval Special Warfare Injury Prevention Initiative at the NMRL's UPitt Warrior Human Performance Research Laboratory at Little Creek Amphibious Base, VA. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from University of Florida in 2010, and his Master of Science degree in athletic training from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2000. Prior to joining the NMRL, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Florida working in the Comprehensive Center for Pain Research. Jeffrey's research interests include the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries through identification of biopsychosocial risk factors, prevention of injury related to faulty running biomechanics, and identification of optimal therapeutic interventions for use during physical therapy.

Anthony C. Zimmer, ATC

acz3@pitt.edu

Anthony Zimmer is a research associate at the NMRL's UPitt Warrior Human Performance Research Laboratory at Little Creek Amphibious Base, VA. Anthony completed his Bachelors degree in Rehabilitation Science with a concentration in Athletic Training at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining the NMRL staff, Anthony worked for UPMC's Center for Sports Medicine as a Certified Athletic Trainer. Anthony's research interests include the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and methods of performance enhancement in the military's elite special forces units.

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