The relationship between firefighters’ physical performance characteristics and simulated firefighting demands

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 63 - 75, 30.06.2019

Mckayla Schmit Mark Debeliso

https://doi.org/10.31459/turkjkin.560623

Cited By: 12

Abstract

Prior research indicates
firefighting to be a demanding and hazardous profession that places tremendous
amounts of stress on the body, both physically and mentally. Likewise, degraded
fitness levels can affect the firefighter’s (FF) ability to execute rescue
tasks efficiently and places the imperiled and FF at risk for injury or death. The
current study examined the relationship between physical fitness tests (PFT)
and Simulated Fire Ground Test (SFGT) performance among active FF.  Twenty (n=20) male career FF (age 37.8±8.4
years, height 182.1±7.0 cm, body mass 95.6±8.9 kg) were assessed for PFT and
the SFGT. The PFT assessments included: maximum grip strength (GS), 3-minute
step test, vertical jump (VJ), 1-RM back squat (BS), and 1-RM bench press (BP).
The SFGT was composed of: stair climb with hose bundle (SC), 30m charged hose
advance (CHA), and 30m dummy drag (DD). The SFGT demands were completed in full
PPE (personal protective equipment) gear and pack. SFGT scores were then compared
to the PFT scores with Pearson correlation coefficients (r). Grip strength
demonstrated a negative moderate (r=-0.49: p<0.05) relationship with the
time to complete the CHA, a high negative relationship with the SC times
(r=-0.61: p<0.05), a high negative relationship with the DD times (r=-0.70:
p<0.05), and a high negative relationship the total time to complete all
tasks (r=-0.64: p<0.05). Heart rate response, measured as %HR_max
following the step test demonstrated a positive moderate relationship with the
time to complete the SC (r=0.51: p<0.05), CHA (r=0.52: p<0.05), and the
total time to complete all tasks (r=0.50: p<0.05); and a positive low
(r=0.38: p<0.05) relationship with the time to complete the DD. The BP 1-RM
demonstrated a negative high relationship with the time to complete the SC
(r=-0.79: p<0.05) and CHA (r=-0.79: p<0.05); and a negative very high relationship
with the time to complete the DD (r=-0.80: p<0.05) and the total time to
complete all tasks (r=-0.82: p<0.05). The SQ 1-RM demonstrated a negative
moderate (r=-0.52: p<0.05) relationship with the time to complete the CHA;
and a negative high relationship with the time to complete the SC (r=-0.70:
p<0.05), DD (r=-0.68: p<0.05), and the total time to complete all tasks
(r=-0.70: p<0.05) (p<0.05). The VJ scores demonstrated a negative
moderate (r=-0.49: p<0.05) relationship with the time to complete the CHA;
and a negative high relationship with the time to complete the SC (r=-0.67:
p<0.05), DD (r=-0.60: p<0.05), and the total time to complete all tasks
(r=-0.66: p<0.05). Peak power relative to body mass demonstrated a negative
moderate relationship with the time to complete the SC (r=-0.55: p<0.05), DD
(r=-0.42: p<0.05), and the total time to complete all tasks (r=-0.52:
p<0.05); and a negative low non-significant relationship with the time to
complete the CHA (r=-0.30: p>0.05). Age did not demonstrate a significant
relationship with performance on any of the SGFT assessments (p>0.05). Within
the parameters of this study, FF’s exhibited a moderate to very high
relationship between PFT and the execution of simulated firefighting demands.

Keywords

Firefighter, firefighting demands, physical fitness

References

• Abel M, Palmer T, Trubee N. Exercise Program design for Structural Firefighters. Strength Cond J, 2015; 37(4): 8-19.
• AlTarawneh G, Thorne S. A pilot study exploring spreadsheet risk in scientific research. arXiv preprint arXiv:1703.09785. arvix.org, Ithca, NY, 2017.
• American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Indianapolis, IN: Wolters Kluwer, 2018.
• Baechle TR. Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2016.
• Baker D. Comparison of upper-body strength and power between professional and college-aged rugby league players. J Strength Cond Res, 2001; 15(1): 30-35.
• Baker D, Newton R. Discriminative analysis of various upper body tests in professional rugby players. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2006; 1(4): 347-360.
• Barr D, Gregson W, Reilly T. The thermal ergonomics of firefighting reviewed. Appl Ergon, 2010; 41(1): 161-172.
• Baur D, Christophi C, Cook E, Kales S. Age-related decline in cardiorespiratory fitness among career firefighters: Modification by Physical Activity and Adiposity. J Obes, 2012; (5): 710903
• Bennett H, Parfitt G, Davison K, Eston R. Validity of submaximal step tests to estimate maximal oxygen uptake in healthy adults. Sports Medicine, 2016; 46(5): 737-750.
• Buckthorpe M, Morris J, Folland J. Validity of vertical jump measurement devices. J Sport Sci, 2012; 30(1): 63-69.
• Durand G, Tsismenakis A, Jahnke S, Baur D, Christophi C, Kales S. Firefighters’ physical activity; Relation to fitness and cardiovascular disease Risk. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2011; 43(9): 1752-1759.
• El-Kader A, Mahoun S. Aerobic exercise training improves cardiopulmonary fitness among firefighters. European Journal of General Medicine, 2010; 7(4): 352-358.
• Gledhill N, Jamnik VK. Characterization of the physical demands of firefighting. Canadian Journal of Sports Science, 1992; 17(3): 207-213.
• Harman E, Rosenstein M, Frykman P, Rosenstein R, Kraemer W. Estimation of human power output from maximal vertical jump and body mass. The J Strength Cond Res, 1991; 5(7): 116-120.
• Hendrickson N, Sharp M, Alemany J, Walker L, Harman E, Spiering B, Hatfield DL, Yamamoto LM, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ, Nindl B. Combined resistance and endurance training improves physical capacity and performance on tactical occupational tasks. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2010; 109(6): 1197-1208.
• Kales S, Aldrich J, Ployhronopoulos G, Leitao E, Artzerounian D, Gassert T, Hu H, Kelsey KT, Sweet C, Christiani D. Correlates of fitness for duty in hazardous materials firefighters. Am J Ind Med, 1999; 36(6): 618-629.
• Kales S, Soteriades E, Christophi C, Christiani D. Emergency duties and deaths from heart disease among firefighters in the United States. N Engl J Med, 2007; 356(12): 1207-1215.
• Karter M. Patterns of firefighter fire-ground injuries. National Fire Protection Association, 2013, pp. 1-27.
• Kenney WL, Wilmore JH, Costill DL. Physiology of Sport and Exercise (6th ed.), 2015.
• Lusa S, Louhevaar V, Smolander J, Kivimaki M, Korhonen O. Physiological responses of firefighting students during simulated smoke-diving in the heat. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J, 1993; 54(5): 228-231.
• McGill S, Karpowicz A, Fenwick C. Ballistic abdominal exercises: Muscle activation patterns during three activities along the stability/mobility continuum. J Strength Cond Res, 2009; 23(3): 898-905.
• Michaelides M, Parpa K, Henry L, Thompson G, Brown B. Assessment of physical fitness aspects and their relationship to firefighters’ job abilities. J Strength Cond Res, 2011; 25(4): 956-965.
• Miller DK. Measurement by the physical educator: Why and how (4th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
• Miller T. NSCAs guide to tests and assessments. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2012.
• Myer G, Ford K, Palumbo J, Hewett T. Neuromuscular training improves performance and lower-extremity biomechanics in female athletes. J Strength Cond Res, 2005; 19(1): 51-60.
• Myers J, Prakash M, Froelicher V, Do D, Partington S, Atwood J. Exercise capacity and mortality among men referred for exercise testing. N Engl J Med, 2002; 346(11): 793-801.
• NFPA 1583. Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Firefighters. National Fire Protection Agency. Qunicy, Md., 2007.
• NFPA U.S. Firefighters Fatalities Due to Sudden Cardiac Death 1994-2004. National Fire Protection Agency. Qunicy, Md., 2005.
• Pawlak R, Clasey J, Palmer T, Symons T, Abel M. The Effect of a novel tactical training program on physical fitness and occupational performance in Firefighters. J Strength Cond Res, 2015; 29(3): 578–588.
• Peate W, Bates G, Lunda K, Francis S, Bellamy K. Core Strength: A new model for injury prediction and prevention. Journal of Occupational Medicine Toxicology, 2007; 2(3). doi:10.1186/1745-6673-2-3
• Peate W, Lundergan L, Johnson J. Fitness self-perception and VO2max in firefighters. J Occup Environ Med, 2002; 44(6): 546-550.
• Peolsson A, Hedlund R, Oberg B. Intra- and inter-tester reliability and reference values for hand strength. J Rehabil Med, 2001; 33(1): 36-41.
• Perroni F, Cortis C, Minganti C, Cignitti L, Capranica L. Maximal oxygen uptake of Italian firefighters: Laboratory vs. field evaluations. Sport Science for Health, 2013; 9(2): 31-35.
• Poston W, Haddock C, Jahnke S, Jitnarin N, Tuely B, Kales S. The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and substandard fitness in a population-based firefighter cohort. J Occup Environ Med, 2011; 53(3): 266-273.
• Rhea M, Alvar B, Gray R. Physical fitness and job performance of firefighters. J Strength Cond Res, 2004; 18(2): 348-352.
• Rodriguez-Rosell D, Mora-Custodio R, Franco-Márquez F, Yáñez-García JM, González-Badillo JJ. Traditional vs. sport-specific vertical jump tests: reliability, validity and relationship with the leg strength and sprint performance in adult and teen soccer and basketball players. J Strength Cond Res, 2016; 31(1): 196–206.
• Rosenstock L, Olsen J. Firefighting and death from cardiovascular causes. N Engl J Med, 2007; 356(12): 1261-1263.
• Sheaff A, Bennett A, Hanson E, Kim Y, Hsu J, Shim J, Edwards ST, Hurley B. Physiological determinants of the candidate physical ability test in firefighters. J Strength Cond Res, 2010; 24(11): 3112-3122.
• Soteriades E, Hauser R, Kawachi D, Liarokapis D, Christiani C, Kales S. Obesity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in firefighters: a prospective cohort study. Obesity Research, 2005; 13(10): 1756-1763.
• United States Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Association. Fire related firefighter injuries in 2004. Emmitsburg, MD: US Fire Administration, November 2018, pp. 1-25.
• Von Heimburg E, Rasmussen A, Medbo J. Physiological responses of firefighters and performance predictors during a simulated rescue of hospital patients. Ergonomics, 2006; 49(2): 111-126.
• Wadsworth C, Nielsen DH, Corcoran DS, Phillips CE, Sannes TL. Interrater-reliability of hand-held dynamometry: effects of rater gender, body weight, and grip strength. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 1992; 16(2): 74-81.
• Williford H, Duey W, Olson M, Howard R, Wang N. Relationship between firefighting suppression tasks and physical fitness. Ergonomics, 1999; 42(9): 1179-1186.
• Young VL, Pin P, Kraemer BA, Gould RB, Nemergut L, Pellowski M. Fluctuation in grip and pinch strength among normal subjects. Journal of Hand Surgery, 1989; 14(1): 125-129.