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Association between Cardiovascular and Musculoskeletal Health in Firefighters
Jaron Ras1, Elpidoforos S Soteriades, Denise L Smith
1From the Department of Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa (J.R., L.L.); Healthcare Management Program, School of Economics and Management, Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus (E.S.S.); Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology (EOME), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (E.S.S.); Health and Human Physiological Sciences, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York (D.L.S.); and Non-communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa (A.P.K.).
Objective:
The aim of the study is to determine the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) and musculoskeletal health in firefighters.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study involved 309 full-time firefighters aged 20 to 65 years. Cardiovascular health encompassed cardiovascular disease risk factors, risk scores, CVH metrics, and heart rate variability. Musculoskeletal health was assessed using two validated questionnaires.
Results:
Increasing age ( P = 0.004), body mass index ( P < 0.001), body fat percentage ( P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure ( P = 0.003), total cholesterol ( P = 0.006), and Framingham risk score ( P = 0.011) increased the risk of reporting musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs). Obesity ( P = 0.018), hypertension ( P = 0.034), and dyslipidemia ( P = 0.005) increased the risk of reporting MSIs. Musculoskeletal discomfort was associated with total cholesterol ( P = 0.0.34) and low-density lipoprotein ( P = 0.014).
Conclusions:
Adverse cardiovascular disease risk profile was associated with MSIs and musculoskeletal discomfort in firefighters. Firefighters should maintain an ideal CVH profile, especially as they age.
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