BODY COMPOSITION AND FITNESS CHARACTERISTICS FROM STRUCTURAL INCUMBENT FIREFIGHTERS IN A HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM: DIFFERENCES ACCORDING TO INJURY STATUS AND LOCATION

Health and fitness characteristics can influence the performance of fireground operations and prevent injury. This study analyzed differences in health and fitness between healthy structural firefighters, and firefighters who self-reported a current injury. Archival data from firefighters in a health and wellness program was investigated. Body composition data included height; body mass; BMI; body fat percentage; fat and lean body mass; waist circumference; and waist:hip ratio. Fitness data included flexibility; grip strength; predicted 1RM leg press; crunches; push-ups; and estimated maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2max). Firefighters self-reported if they were healthy or had a current injury, and its location (upper-body injury [UBI]; lower-body injury [LBI]; back injury [BI]). A one-way ANOVA, with Bonferroni post hoc, compared the between-group differences in body composition and fitness. When compared to healthy firefighters: UBI firefighters performed worse in the predicted 1RM leg press and push-ups (p ≤ 0.041); LBI firefighters were older and had worse BMI and waist circumference (p ≤ 0.033), and lesser 1RM leg press, crunches, and V̇O2max (p ≤ 0.012); BI firefighters performed worse in trunk extension, 1RM leg press, crunches, and push-ups (p ≤ 0.002). Poorer fitness test performance due to injury could indicate limitations in job task performance. Although poorer performance in the fitness tests could be the result of the current injury, these data may also highlight certain health and fitness qualities that could be developed to prevent specific injuries in structural firefighters