A Pilot Study on the Relationship between Cardiovascular Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Physical Fitness and Occupational Performance in Firefighters

Autor: Jaron Ras, Denise L. Smith, Elpidoforos S. Soteriades, Andre P. Kengne, Lloyd Leach
Jazyk: English<br />Spanish; Castilian
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, Vol 12, Iss 11, Pp 1703-1718 (2022)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2254-9625
2174-8144
DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe12110120
Popis: Firefighters’ face life threatening situations and are frequently exposed to numerous physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of conducting a large-scale study on cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health, physical fitness and occupational performance of firefighters. We conducted a cross-sectional pilot study by recruiting 36 firefighters. A researcher-generated questionnaire and physical measures were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health, physical fitness and occupational performance using a physical ability test (PAT). We documented a high equipment and intra-assessor reliability (r > 0.9). The potential logistic and/or administrative obstacles in the context of a larger study were discerned. Data were successfully retrieved using available equipment and survey instruments. Hypertension (30.6%) dyslipidaemia (33.3%), obesity (36.1%) and physical inactivity (66.7%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular disease risk factors. A significant difference between genders in total PAT completion time was also seen (p < 0.001). Cardiorespiratory fitness, lean body mass, grip strength and leg strength were significantly associated with occupational performance (p < 0.001). The pilot study supports the larger study feasibility and verified equipment and assessors’ reliability for research. Cardiovascular health, musculoskeletal health and physical fitness may be related to PAT performance.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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