The Time Course of Health, Fitness, and Occupational Performance Changes in Recruits across a Fire Academy

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the time course of health, fitness, and occupational performance changes in firefighter recruits across a fire academy.MethodsNineteen recruits (24.9 ± 4.3 yr; 26.7 ± 3.1 kg·m−2) had their body composition, balance, vertical jump (VJ) performance, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), upper and lower body strength, hamstrings-to-quadriceps (H/Q) ratio, lower back endurance, and weighted stair climb (SC) performance assessed at the beginning (week 1 [W1]), midpoint (week 15 [W15]), and end (week 30 [W30]) of a fire academy.ResultsThe fire academy improved body composition, balance, CRF, leg extension strength, and SC performance from W1 to W15 (P ≤ 0.042) which then plateaued at W30 (P ≥ 0.314). Leg flexion strength and the H/Q ratio decreased from W1 to W15 (P ≤ 0.035) and plateaued at W30 (P ≥ 0.947). Upper body strength was similar at W1 and W15 (P ≥ 0.999), but decreased at W30 (P ≤ 0.033). However, no significant changes occurred across the academy for VJ performance or lower back endurance (P ≥ 0.090).ConclusionsThese findings highlight the positive effect of the academy on body composition, CRF, balance, SC performance, and leg extension strength. However, the decreases in upper body and leg flexion strength, the H/Q ratio, and lack of changes in VJ performance and low back endurance may highlight key areas of need to maximize injury prevention and performance enhancement efforts in the academy. Further, the varied time course of changes may help fire departments identify opportunities to modify exercise programming across their academies.

A Description of Exercise Programs Implemented During a Firefighter Training Academy

“…The 12-MET recommendation is important considering the inverse relationships between aerobic fitness and risk for cardiovascular episodes and physical injury 13–20 . In the present study, est-VO 2 max improved between pre and mid before plateauing at the post measurement, which is in line with previous training academy studies 23,25,29,31,32,37,39 . Local muscular endurance, which can be measured via push-up repetitions to failure, has been strongly correlated with completing simulated firefighting tasks with greater efficiency 7–12 .…”

Changes in Dynamic Balance Ability Among Firefighter Recruits: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

“…Specifically, not only did these researchers identify improvements in mSEBT COMP from the beginning to end of the training academy (W1-W30), but significant improvements in mSEBT COMP from the beginning to the mid-point of the training academy (W1-W15) as well, with similar results also noted in the mSEBT PL and mSEBT PM directions. Consequently, although traditional training academies seem to consistently elicit significant improvements in the health and fitness (13,14,22,46) and movement quality (12) of firefighter recruits, similar improvements in balance ability are not necessarily elicited in the same manner, stressing the importance of strength and conditioning professionals assessing a variety of measures when trying to determine the potential MSKI risk and occupational performance characteristics of firefighters. Furthermore, although measures of balance ability may be cross-sectionally associated with measures of health and fitness (25) and/or movement quality (26), these findings suggest that longitudinal changes in the balance ability can be disparate from changes in these measures.…”

“…Similar to previous research (46), longitudinal changes in dynamic balance ability were determined by using separate linear mixed models, with fixed effects for time and using restricted maximum likelihood estimation in each model (45) to examine for changes in mSEBT measures (mSEBT ANT , mSEBT PL , mSEBT PM , and mSEBT COMP ) across time (W1, W14, and W38). Specifically, linear mixed models were used to account for a potential time-varying influence of anthropometric measures.…”

“…Previous research within the firefighter population has examined changes in measures of health and fitness (13,14,22), movement quality (12), and balance ability (46) among firefighter recruits, which has demonstrated significant improvements in these measures during the course of their training academy (12)(13)(14)22,46), followed by significant declines across measures during the postacademy probationary period (13,22). However, only one previous study has investigated the longitudinal changes in dynamic balance ability among firefighter recruits, which did not examine changes in the frequency of right vs. left asymmetries exhibited during this assessment (46). Given the link to MSKI risk in the scientific literature (5,30,38,40,42) and the utilization by practitioners to track changes in dynamic balance ability as a result of intervention (17), describing the longitudinal changes in mSEBT performance within this population is warranted.…”

“…A secondary purpose was to examine changes in the frequency of right vs. left limb asymmetries observed during the mSEBT. Based on previous research examining changes in the health and fitness (13,14,22), movement quality (12), and balance ability (46) of firefighter recruits, it was hypothesized that mSEBT performance would significantly improve and the frequency of right vs. left limb asymmetries would significantly decrease, as a result of completing the training academy. However, it was also hypothesized that mSEBT performance would significantly decrease, and the frequency of right vs. left limb asymmetries would significantly increase, during the subsequent probationary period.…”