Female Soldiers Face a Higher Risk of Hip Injuries During Military Training

Military training is intended to be physically demanding. However, growing evidence shows that female soldiers are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to suffer serious hip and pelvic injuries during training.

Research commissioned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), together with wider academic studies, has identified hip and pelvic stress fractures as a particular concern for women undertaking physically demanding military training. These injuries can have life-changing consequences, affecting both a soldier’s career and their long-term health.

Ministry of Defence Research Highlights Increased Risk

The MoD’s Women in Ground Close Combat Review found that female Army recruits were substantially more likely to experience stress fractures and other overuse injuries than male recruits, with the hip and pelvis among the most commonly affected areas.

These are far from minor injuries. Hip stress fractures often require lengthy rehabilitation, prolonged periods of medical downgrading and, in some cases, can result in a service person being medically discharged from the Armed Forces altogether.

Why Do Hip Stress Fractures Occur?

The findings of the MoD’s review are supported by wider military research. Studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine have consistently shown that repetitive, high-impact activities, including loaded marching, running and intensive physical training, place significant stress on the hips, pelvis and lower limbs.

When these demanding activities are combined with heavy equipment, high training volumes and insufficient recovery time, the risk of stress fractures increases significantly. Female soldiers may be particularly vulnerable to these injuries, making effective injury prevention and early intervention essential.

The Duty to Protect Service Personnel

As more women have entered physically demanding military roles, greater attention has been given to understanding and reducing injury risks.

Although military service inevitably involves an element of danger, the Ministry of Defence still owes service personnel a duty to take reasonable steps to protect them from foreseeable injury. The MoD’s own research recognised the heightened risks faced by women and recommended improvements to training standards, injury surveillance, medical monitoring and preventative measures designed to reduce serious musculoskeletal injuries.

When Could a Compensation Claim Arise?

Not every military hip injury will give rise to a compensation claim. However, where an injury was caused or made worse because appropriate care was not taken, there may be grounds to pursue a claim against the Ministry of Defence.

Examples of potential negligence include:

• failing to recognise the early signs of a developing stress fracture;
• delays in diagnosis or referral for appropriate investigations;
• inadequate medical assessment or treatment;
• imposing excessive or inappropriate training demands; or
• requiring personnel to continue training despite reporting symptoms or displaying signs of injury.

Each case will depend on its individual facts, but where avoidable failures have contributed to a preventable injury, compensation may be available.

The Long-Term Impact of Military Hip Injuries

For many female soldiers, the effects of a serious hip injury extend well beyond the initial diagnosis.

These injuries can limit operational capability, delay promotion opportunities and, in some cases, bring a promising military career to an early end. Even after leaving the Armed Forces, some individuals continue to experience chronic pain, reduced mobility and ongoing medical complications that require further treatment or surgery.

Increasing Awareness of Women’s Military Injury Risks

As awareness of injury risks affecting women in the Armed Forces continues to grow, the evidence increasingly shows that many hip stress fractures are not simply an unavoidable consequence of military service.

Where appropriate safeguards were not in place, warning signs were overlooked or medical care fell below the expected standard, injured service personnel may have grounds to seek compensation from the Ministry of Defence. Obtaining specialist military legal advice can help determine whether negligence contributed to the injury and whether a claim may be available.