Mark G. Abel

Introduction: Yoga is a training methodology that may facilitate the physical and psychological restoration of football players. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of Yoga on football-related abilities, based on the hypothesis that Yoga training would not negatively affect speed, agility, or change of direction (COD). Yoga is a practical life philosophy aimed at promoting self-knowledge through systematic training of body and mind. It may positively influence players’ change-of-direction deficit due to its physical and psychological effects on recovery processes. Although Yoga offers a holistic approach to recovery, concerns remain regarding a potential reduction in performance associated with static stretching. Methodology: A convenience sample of 21 professional football players from the Portuguese First League participated (age: 19.0 ± 1.89 years; height: 182.5 ± 6.02 cm; body mass: 75.55 ± 5.69 kg). Participants were randomly allocated to an experimental group (EG; n = 11) or a control group (CG; n = 10). The EG completed a 12-week Yoga training programme (two additional 60-minute sessions per week), including prāṇāyāma, āsana, yoga nidrā and samyama, while the CG followed standard football training. Sprint speed (5, 10 and 20 m) and agility (zigzag test) were assessed pre- and post-intervention using photocell timing gates. Mixed-factor ANOVA and effect sizes (partial eta squared) were calculated, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements from pre- to post-test across all variables. No significant group × time interactions were found for 5 m, 10 m, 20 m sprint, zigzag agility or COD deficit, indicating that Yoga did not impair performance. Conclusions: Yoga represents a viable alternative to enhance mobility and support physical and psychological recovery without negatively affecting sprint speed, agility or COD in football players.

Objective: To descriptively compare sleep outcomes between fire agencies utilizing different shift configurations. Methods: Firefighters employed by three departments utilizing a 24/48, 48/96, four-Platoon system (4P) and a control group of day-shift first responders completed the Emergency Service Sleep Diary and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to compare sleep quantity and quality outcomes. Results: After controlling for differences in nighttime emergency call volume, the 24/48 resulted in less on-duty sleep time than the 48/96, whereas the 4P was similar to 24/48. The 24/48 displayed greater total PSQI scores than all other shift configurations. Conclusions: Sleep quantity and quality were worse among firefighters working a 24/48 shift compared to some shifts. Many firefighters across shifts did not obtain the recommended amount of sleep on- and off-duty.

Background: Participation in on-duty exercise is critical to enhance firefighter safety and readiness. However, these sessions are often interrupted with emergency responses and require firefighters to work in a fatigued state that may increase injury risk. Objective: To assess the impact of on-duty resistance training on neuromuscular function. Methods: A sample of 18 firefighters (Age: 38.8 ± 8.0 y; Body fat: 24.9 ± 7.0%) completed three testing sessions, separated by at least 72 h to compare the effects of circuit (CT) versus heavy resistance training (HRT) fatigue on neuromuscular function. During Session 1, anthropometrics and familiarization trials of balance and neuromuscular function were completed, which included single-leg drop landing (SLDL), postural sway (PS), and modified Functional Balance Test (mFBT). Sessions 2 and 3 were randomized, where participants completed either HRT or CT. Isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), long jump (LJ), and lower body power (LBP) tests were conducted pre- and immediately post exercise, whereas static and dynamic balance assessments were conducted pre- and 10 min post exercise to simulate an emergency response time course. Repeated measures ANOVA, effect sizes, and difference scores were used to analyze the effects of condition and time. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: CT decreased IMTP, LJ, and LBP, whereas HRT decreased LJ and LBP (p ≤ 0.001, ES ≥ 0.476). Despite several significant condition by time interaction effects on balance outcomes, there were no differences within CT or HRT over time (p ≥ 0.066). Conclusions: These findings suggest that on-duty resistance training reduces firefighters’ power and/or strength immediately post exercise but does not influence most firefighters’ balance 10 min post exercise. Thus, firefighters are recommended to perform resistance training on-duty during low emergency call volume times.

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) must maintain a certain level of physical fitness to perform occupational tasks successfully. Because of the wide variation among operators, there does not appear to be a standard fitness test battery that is appropriate to assess occupational fitness for different groups of law enforcement officers. Therefore, multi-faceted fitness assessments are important to evaluate tactical personnel’s various essential fitness components, which are often unique to each environment. Fitness standards and training protocols must be developed for each law enforcement agency and customised to the specific audience. This article aims to systematically review the relevant literature to identify biomotor abilities associated with occupational physical ability. This study examined the results of 17 international studies to ultimately synthesise information that (i) aids in the selection of the most used biomotor abilities and occupational physical abilities for LEOs and (ii) serves as a starting point for the development of occupational physical abilities assessment protocols. In conclusion, this study underscores the complex and diverse physical demands on LEOs, advocating for tailored fitness programs and policy reforms to enhance their operational readiness and long-term health.

Structural firefighters are responsible for protecting properties and saving lives during emergency operations. Despite efforts to prepare firefighters for these hazardous occupational demands, the unfortunate reality is that the incidence of health morbidities is increasing within the fire service. Specifically, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health disorders are among the most documented morbidities in firefighters. Pubmed and Google Scholar search engines were used to identify peer-reviewed English language manuscripts that evaluated firefighters’ occupational health threats, allostatic factors associated with their occurrence, and evidence-based strategies to mitigate their impact. This narrative review provides fire departments, practitioners, and researchers with evidence-based practices to enhance firefighters’ health.

The purpose of this study was to query healthcare practitioners (HCPs) who treat firefighter injuries to identify risk factors and mechanisms associated with musculoskeletal injuries during exercise. A phenomenological design was utilized to understand the experiences of HCPs while treating firefighters’ musculoskeletal injuries due to exercise. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 HCPs. Two interviews were pilot-tested with HCPs to ensure reliability and validity. Interviews were transcribed and uploaded to a qualitative analysis software program. Although the study inquired about injuries incurred by any exercise modality (e.g., endurance and resistance training), injuries induced during resistance training were prominent among HCPs as resistance training emerged as a primary exercise injury mechanism. HCPs indicated that the back and shoulder were prevalent anatomical exercise injury locations. Risk factors for exercise injuries included age, immobility, movement proficiency, and factors associated with fatigue. Exercise injury mechanisms included poor resistance training technique and overexertion. These findings could guide exercise program design, use of movement assessments, and the identification of other countermeasures to decrease the risk of resistance training exercise injuries among firefighters.

Cardiovascular events are the leading cause of on-duty deaths among firefighters. Screening firefighters for risk of sudden cardiac event is a critical element of a comprehensive medical program. Although intense physical exertion has been shown to trigger sudden cardiac events in the general population, it is unclear how hemodynamic responses following clinical exercise testing compare to that of performing firefighting tasks in personal protective equipment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare hemodynamic responses following rescue simulation (RS) and maximal exercise in firefighters. This was a cross-over repeated measures study. Thirty-eight professional firefighters (31.8 ± 5.2 yr; VO_2peak: 57.9 mL/kg/min) completed a maximal aerobic exercise test (MAET) and an RS. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), pulse pressure (PP), and brachial and central mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured before and 5 and 15 min post-exercise. The findings indicated that femoral PWV decreased after MAET and RS at both time points (p < 0.005). No significant differences were found in aortic and carotid PWV over time or between conditions (p ≥ 0.05). Significant increases in brachial and central PP and MAP were noted 5 min post-MAET and RS (p = 0.004). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that peripheral arterial stiffness (AS) decreased in firefighters following both conditions, with no differences in central AS. Our findings provide valuable information on hemodynamic responses similar between RS and MAET, and are important for controlling CVD risk and the AS response.

Background: Compare arterial stiffness among law enforcement officers (LEOs) versus general population normative values and identify predictors of arterial stiffness in LEOs. Methods: Seventy male LEOs (age: 24–54 years) completed body composition, blood pressures, physical activity level, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) measurements. T-tests and regression analyses were utilized to compare LEO data to normative data and predict cfPWV, respectively. Results: Compared to similar age strata within the general population, cfPWV was lower among LEO’s under 30-years (mean difference = −0.6 m·s⁻¹), but higher among LEOs 50–55-years (mean difference = 1.1 m·s⁻¹). Utilizing regression, age, relative body fat, and diastolic blood pressure explained the greatest variance in LEO’s cfPWV (adj. R² = 0.56, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This investigation demonstrated that arterial stiffness may progress more rapidly in LEOs and LEOs’ relative body fat and blood pressure may primarily affect arterial stiffness and risk of CVD.

Suggests that firefighters should be allowed to exercise on duty to maintain adequate fitness levels. However, no research has addressed the effect of exercise-induced fatigue on subsequent fire ground performance. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine the effect that a single exercise session had on the performance of a simulated fire ground test (SFGT). Secondarily, this study sought to compare the effect of physical training status (i.e., trained vs. untrained firefighters) on the performance of an SFGT. Twelve trained (age: 31.8 ± 6.9 years; body mass index [BMI]: 27.7 ± 3.3 kg·m−2; V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak: 45.6 ± 3.3 ml·kg−1·min−1) and 37 untrained (age: 31.0 ± 9.0 years; BMI: 31.3 ± 5.2 kg·m−2; V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak: 40.2 ± 5.2 ml·kg−1·min−1) male career firefighters performed a baseline SFGT. The trained firefighters performed a second SFGT after an exercise session. Time to complete the SFGT, heart rate, and blood lactate were compared between baseline and exercise SFGT (EX-SFGT) conditions. In the trained firefighters, time to complete the SFGT (9.6% increase; p = 0.002) and heart rate (4.1% increase; p = 0.032) were greater during the EX-SFGT compared with baseline, with no difference in post-SFGT blood lactate (p = 0.841). The EX-SFGT time of the trained firefighters was faster than approximately 70% of the untrained firefighters' baseline SFGT time. In addition, the baseline SFGT time of the trained firefighters was faster than 81% of the untrained firefighters. This study demonstrated that on-duty exercise training reduced the work efficiency in firefighters. However, adaptations obtained through regular on-duty exercise training may limit decrements in work efficiency because of acute exercise fatigue and allow for superior work efficiency compared with not participating in a training program....