Friday 2nd Jan 2026
New Outcomes for the New Year
ADVANCE’s Group Captain Professor Alex Bennett delivers our latest outcomes from the latest ADVANCE research.
👆 Click on an outcome to read the full research 📄
Major combat trauma substantially increases the likelihood of early-onset knee Osteoarthritis. Combat-injured servicemen, especially amputees or those with knee injuries, had over four times the odds of knee osteoarthritis eight years post-injury compared to uninjured peers.
Improving autonomic balance, which regulates involuntary body functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion, could help reduce arterial stiffening and cardiovascular risk in military populations.
Serum biomarkers like leptin, COMP, and cytokines were linked to radiographic knee degeneration, revealing biological pathways involved in post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA).
This molecular profiling can help predict and personalise treatment for early PTOA following combat injury.
Serious combat trauma can cause long-term autonomic dysfunction, suggesting the need for cardiovascular monitoring in injured veterans.
Physical injury and psychosocial vulnerability after service may elevate drug-use risk, underscoring the need for targeted post-deployment support.
Altered biomechanics after amputation may accelerate joint degeneration, highlighting the need for tailored gait and prosthetic interventions.
Specific PTSD symptom patterns – particularly emotional detachment – may independently impact cardiovascular regulation.
