MILITARY PHYSICAL THERAPY IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The military aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for more than 10 years, has led to significant losses among military personnel and the civilian population, substantially highlighting the issue of organizing effective medical and rehabilitation assistance. Specialists are paying particular attention to the problems of preserving and restoring the health and work capacity of service members during the stage of general military training and during their direct participation in combat operations. The aim of our study was to identify the historical prerequisites for the development of military physical therapy. To achieve this aim, a selection and analysis of scientific sources was conducted using search engines and electronic databases (PubMed, Semantic Scholar, Google Scholar, etc.). According to research, the majority of recruits sustain injuries during basic combat training. Musculoskeletal disorders, primarily of non-combat origin, are one of the main reasons for the loss of combat readiness, premature discharge from military service, and medical evacuation. At the same time, early access to physical therapy allows for shorter recovery periods, optimizes the use of resources, and prevents unjustified evacuation. Comprehensive pre-rehabilitation programs (physical exercise, nutrition, cognitive therapy, and psychosocial support) implemented during general military training can be effective for physical recovery, improving health-related quality of life, and reducing the frequency of critical complications in service members. The historical analysis conducted has shown that the establishment of physical therapy as a profession is closely linked to military conflicts, which contributed to the expansion of the professional autonomy of both military and civilian physical therapists. The experience of expanding the autonomy of military physical therapists has shown that early rehabilitation intervention significantly improves the prognosis, treatment outcomes, and morale of service members in a combat environment. The implementation of a modern model of military physical therapy, based on the principles of early intervention, prevention, and a comprehensive, patient-centered approach, can be beneficial for the development of a national system for the rehabilitation of service members under the conditions of existing military challenges.