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Influence of body mass index on movement efficiency among firefighter recruits
David J Cornell1, Stacy L Gnacinski1, Aaron Zamzow2
1Integrative Health Care & Performance Unit, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Background:
Previous research has demonstrated links between musculoskeletal injury risk and measures of obesity and movement efficiency among the firefighter population. However, the influence of obesity on movement efficiency among firefighter recruits remains uninvestigated.
Objective:
To investigate the influence of obesity on movement efficiency measures among firefighter recruits.
Methods:
Measures of obesity were collected among 73 male firefighter recruits. Participants were grouped into standard body mass index (BMI) categories (normal, overweight, obese). Differences in Total Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores and Y-Balance Test (YBT) composite scores were examined between BMI categories. In addition, the relationships between measures of obesity and movement efficiency were also examined.
Results:
No significant differences in movement efficiency measures were identified between BMI categories (p > 0.05). However, significant bivariate correlations were identified between BMI (kg/m2) and Total FMS score (r = -0.235, p = 0.045), as well as between fat-free mass (FFM) and Total FMS score (r = -0.231, p = 0.049), when examined among all participants.
Conclusions:
BMI may influence measures of movement efficiency among firefighter recruits to a lesser extent than among other previously examined populations. Future research should examine the influence of other unexamined physiological variables on movement efficiency.
