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The effect of structural firefighter protective clothing systems on single-legged functional hop test scores
Zachary K Winkelmann1, Sean M Rogers2, Lindsey E Eberman1
1Department of Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tactical Athlete Research and Education Center, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA.
Background:
Firefighters must complete a physical ability test to assess work readiness. There is a lack of understanding of how personal protective clothing (PPC) affects functional performance tests for work readiness, e.g. Triple Hop for Distance (THD) and Triple Hop for Work (THW).
Objective:
To examine firefighter PPC's effect on the THD and THW measures.
Methods:
Thirty-one healthy, untrained participants (male = 20, female = 11; age = 23±3 years; height = 175.30± 11.12 cm; mass = 77.94±14.24 kg; mass in PPC = 89.14±14.68 kg) completed three successful trials of the THD on their dominant and non-dominant leg, with and without PPC. The main outcome measures included maximum and mean distances on the THD with and without PPC and THW.
Results:
We identified a significant decrease in THD measures (mean difference = 97.83 cm; p < 0.001) and THW measures (mean difference = -326.61J; p < 0.001) when donning PPC in the dominant leg. We identified a significant decrease in THD (mean difference = 121.48 cm; p < 0.001) and THW (mean difference = 493.15J; p < 0.001) for females, and a significant difference for THD (mean difference = 84.83 cm; p < 0.001) for males when donning PPC.
Conclusions:
The addition of PPC decreased the THD and THW measures. The additional mass of the PPC required the more energy to move the same distance without the PPC.
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