Affiliations: [a] Department of Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tactical Athlete Research and Education Center, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN, USA
| [b] Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge in Northridge, CA, USA
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: Zachary K. Winkelmann, MS, LAT, ATC, Tactical Athlete Research and Education Center, Department of Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation, 567 North 5th Street, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA. Tel.: +1 812 237 3961; Fax: +1 812 237 3615; E-mail: zwinkelmann@indstate.edu.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Firefighters must complete a physical ability test to assess work readiness. There is a lack of understanding of how personal protective clothing (PPC) affects functional performance tests for work readiness, e.g. Triple Hop for Distance (THD) and Triple Hop for Work (THW). OBJECTIVE:To examine firefighter PPC’s effect on the THD and THW measures. METHODS:Thirty-one healthy, untrained participants (male = 20, female = 11; age = 23±3 years; height = 175.30± 11.12 cm; mass = 77.94±14.24 kg; mass in PPC = 89.14±14.68 kg) completed three successful trials of the THD on their dominant and non-dominant leg, with and without PPC. The main outcome measures included maximum and mean distances on the THD with and without PPC and THW. RESULTS:We identified a significant decrease in THD measures (mean difference = 97.83 cm; p < 0.001) and THW measures (mean difference = –326.61J; p < 0.001) when donning PPC in the dominant leg. We identified a significant decrease in THD (mean difference = 121.48 cm; p < 0.001) and THW (mean difference = 493.15J; p < 0.001) for females, and a significant difference for THD (mean difference = 84.83 cm; p < 0.001) for males when donning PPC. CONCLUSIONS:The addition of PPC decreased the THD and THW measures. The additional mass of the PPC required the more energy to move the same distance without the PPC.
Keywords: Tactical athlete, work readiness, occupational health
