In an effort to reduce injuries, the U.S. Marine Corps has hired certified athletic trainers to oversee training for enlisted recruits.

From 2004 to 2010, recruits broke 688 tibias and fibulas at the San Diego Marine Core Recruit Depot (MCRD) alone, according to a report posted on the Marine Corps website. In 2011, MCRD San Diego opened a $15.5-million Sports Medicine Program facility to assist with diagnosis and rehabilitation of injured recruits. “We are pin-pointing what we can really do to maintain the physical readiness and physical fitness of recruits while minimizing the number of stress fractures and other injuries,” said Melissa K. Mahoney, Sports Medicine and Injury Prevention Program manager, MCRD San Diego.