OSU and PITT researchers share U.S. Military injury-prevention insights in Rio de Janeiro
Friday, January 9, 2026
Media Contact: Page Mindedahl | Communications Specialist | 405-744-9782 | page.mindedahl@okstate.edu
When Oklahoma State University Performance Science Coordinator Dr. Matthew Bird arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this fall, he entered a training environment where Brazilian soldiers, physical education students and Olympic athletes operate side by side.
Bird presented at the 23rd International Symposium on Physical Activity, hosted at the Brazilian Army’s Physical Training Center, where he shared U.S. military injury-prevention research with an audience of Brazilian military leaders. The invitation stemmed from years of collaboration built during his graduate training and field research with U.S. military populations.
As a critical member of the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, Bird’s work focuses on identifying musculoskeletal injury risk factors among military service members and developing interventions to reduce those risks. His research draws heavily from large-scale data collected at military training sites across the United States, including Marine Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia.
“If we understand what the risk factors for injury are, things like a previous injury, high body fat percentage or dysfunctional movement, then we can create interventions to reduce those risks,” Bird said.
That research foundation was built in close collaboration with Dr. Kristen Koltun, an assistant professor in the Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh and long-time colleague of Bird’s, who worked alongside him during his doctoral research.
“We were going to Quantico and testing thousands of Marines on a battery of equipment, looking at risk factors for injury and attrition,” Koltun said. “It was basically me and him helping to develop the project and getting it off the ground, so we had a really strong working relationship right away.”
At the conference, Bird and Koltun coordinated their presentations to combine scientific background with applied practice. Koltun presented on epidemiology and physiological mechanisms behind musculoskeletal injuries, while Bird focused on practical injury screening tools and implementation strategies.
“We designed it so it moved from physiology and science to practical application,” Koltun said. “It was still centered on the same military injury data we’ve been working with together for years.”
Brazilian military leaders sought U.S. expertise as they continue building injury-prevention research programs. According to Bird, countries like Brazil are developing the infrastructure and resources that support long-standing U.S. military research efforts.
'This collaboration allows us to exchange ideas and methodologies,' Bird said. 'While we can share what we've learned through decades of research in the U.S. military, we're also learning from their perspectives on implementing these programs in different contexts.'"
Koltun said Bird’s enthusiasm and collaborative approach have played a key role in the partnership’s success.
“He truly believes the data and science he’s working on will change somebody’s life,” Koltun said. “That perspective matters when you’re deep in the data and logistics.”
The conference also highlighted the value of OSU’s research culture, which Bird said encourages multidisciplinary collaboration and applied impact.
“Oklahoma State has a very cross-collaborative framework,” Bird said. “It allows researchers to approach problems from multiple perspectives.”
As Bird continues work across military and athletic performance settings, the experience in Brazil expanded his international collaborations and brought global attention to the injury-prevention research underway at OSU.