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Related Experiment Videos

Performance differences between males and females on simulated firefighting tasks.

J E Misner1, S A Plowman, R A Boileau

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Journal of Occupational Medicine. : Official Publication of the Industrial Medical Association
|October 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

This study found that body fat negatively impacts physical performance tasks involving weight translocation, while lean mass aids in force application. Females generally scored lower than males on all firefighter physical performance tests.

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Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Kinesiology
  • Occupational Health

Background:

  • Firefighter selection requires rigorous physical assessments.
  • Evolving firefighting procedures necessitate updated physical performance evaluations.
  • Understanding sex-based differences in physical performance is crucial for equitable and effective job selection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the reliability and validity of physical performance tests for firefighter selection.
  • To examine the influence of body composition (fatness and fat-free weight) on physical performance.
  • To compare physical performance between male and female firefighter candidates.

Main Methods:

  • Ninety-two subjects (37 males, 25 females) aged 17-31 underwent two testing sessions.

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  • Tests included body size, composition, and nine physical performance tasks relevant to firefighting.
  • Performance metrics were analyzed for reliability, improvement over time, and correlation with body composition and sex.

    • Main Results:

    • The physical performance tests demonstrated reliability with significant improvement observed between test sessions.
    • Higher body fat percentage negatively correlated with performance in tasks involving vertical or horizontal body weight translocation.
    • Greater fat-free weight positively correlated with performance in tasks requiring force application (lifting, carrying, striking).
    • Females consistently scored lower than males across all assessed physical performance items.

    Conclusions:

    • Physical performance tests are reliable but show learning effects.
    • Body composition significantly influences performance, with fat negatively impacting translocation tasks and fat-free mass positively impacting force-application tasks.
    • Sex-based performance disparities exist, with males outperforming females on all tested physical tasks relevant to firefighting.