Games Kenneth E, Csiernik Alexander J, Winkelmann Zachary K, True Joshua R, Eberman Lindsey E
Tactical Athlete Research and Education Center, Department of Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA.
LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA, USA.
Work. 2019;62(3):507-514. doi: 10.3233/WOR-192885.
Firefighting specific personal protective ensembles (PPE) have decreased the number of injuries and illnesses related to exposure to fire products; however nearly half of fire related injuries are musculoskeletal in nature. The external load of the PPE may contribute to balance deficits; placing firefighters at an increased risk of injury.
To determine the effects of PPE on dynamic balance in firefighters.
Forty male firefighters (age = 37.1±8.2y; height = 182.7±8.5 cm; mass = 98.9±14.4 kg; years of experience = 11.0±6.2y) completed this study. Participants completed the dynamic balance tasks in station attire (- PPE) and while donning firefighting specific PPE (+PPE) (mass of PPE = 23.8±2.1 kg). We measured dynamic balance using the lower quarter Y Balance Test with average measures of three trials in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral reach for each limb.
We found significant negative alterations in dynamic balance with the addition of PPE for the right anterior (mean difference = - 3.4±3.1 cm; p < 0.001), left anterior (mean difference = - 3.9±3.6 cm; p < 0.001), right posterolateral (mean difference = - 6.9±6.1 cm; p < 0.001), left posterolateral (mean difference = - 5.3±5.5 cm; p < 0.001), right posteromedial (mean difference = - 4.3±6.8 cm; p < 0.001), and left posteromedial (mean difference = - 4.0±6.8 cm; p < 0.001) reach directions.
Firefighting PPE negatively influences dynamic balance. Proactive injury reduction strategies should be utilized in firefighters to mitigate the influence of PPE during work-related tasks.
消防专用个人防护装备（PPE）减少了与接触火灾产物相关的受伤和患病数量；然而，近一半与火灾相关的伤害是肌肉骨骼方面的。PPE的外部负荷可能会导致平衡缺陷，使消防员受伤风险增加。
确定PPE对消防员动态平衡的影响。
40名男性消防员（年龄=37.1±8.2岁；身高=182.7±8.5厘米；体重=98.9±14.4千克；工作年限=11.0±6.2年）完成了本研究。参与者分别穿着站内服装（-PPE）和消防专用PPE（+PPE）（PPE重量=23.8±2.1千克）完成动态平衡任务。我们使用下半身Y平衡测试来测量动态平衡，对每个肢体在前、后内侧和后外侧伸展的三次试验进行平均测量。
我们发现，添加PPE后，右前侧（平均差异=-3.4±3.1厘米；p<0.001）、左前侧（平均差异=-3.9±3.6厘米；p<0.001）、右后外侧（平均差异=-6.9±6.1厘米；p<0.001）、左后外侧（平均差异=-5.
