Physiological demands of mountain rescue work

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Occupational Physiology
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Mountain rescue (MR) volunteers face significant physical demands.
• Understanding their fitness levels and the exertion during callouts is crucial for operational effectiveness and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the physical fitness of MR volunteers.
• To quantify the physical demands encountered during a typical MR callout, including ascent and descent with a casualty.

Main Methods:

• Eight MR volunteers underwent laboratory-based maximal exercise testing (treadmill).
• A simulated field callout involving casualty retrieval by stretcher was conducted.
• Oxygen uptake and cardiovascular measures assessed exercise intensity in both settings.

Main Results:

• Participants exhibited a maximal oxygen uptake of 53 ml/kg/min.
• Ascent to a casualty involved carrying a 17% body mass load, with 82% of the time spent at hard or very hard intensity.
• Descent with a stretcher was less intense (6% at hard/very hard intensity).
• Heart rate strongly correlated with oxygen uptake during both lab and field tests (r=0.72-0.75).

Conclusions:

• MR volunteers generally demonstrate high physical fitness.
• The ascent phase of MR callouts requires sustained very hard physical exertion.
• Heart rate serves as a valid and practical indicator of exercise intensity for MR personnel.
• Findings inform MR volunteer selection, training programs, and future research into occupational demands.