A mild traumatic brain injury doesn’t just rattle the head; it may set the stage for a torn ligament or a stress fracture. In June 2026, the JAMA Network published the findings of a study that found U.S. servicemembers who suffered a mTBI, such as a concussion. The researchers tracked 26,784 troops who enlisted between 2016 and 2020. Musculoskeletal injuries are the leading cause of lost duty days in the military, and it was found that those who had a mTBI were 2.24 times more likely to later suffer this secondary injury.
“There appears to be a bi-directional relationship between musculoskeletal injury and mild traumatic brain injury,” said Amy Silder, PhD, a biomedical engineer at the Naval Health Research Center. Referred to as post-concussion syndrome, PCS can include a disruption of balance, coordination, and reaction time long after the headaches fade. As is, it costs the military billions of dollars a year and leaves tens of thousands of troops unable to deploy.
The study’s authors urge clinicians to screen troops’ bodies after any brain injury. Screening concussion patients for lingering physical deficits, the researchers say, could keep more service members healthy and ready. (Though this recent study focused on the military, the clinical suggestions seem that they would be true for all those who have suffered a mTBI.)
