Flight crew physical fitness: a baseline analysis.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether flight crew personnel are physically fit in comparison to published standards for the average American adult.


METHODS
The study group consisted of pilots, paramedics and nurses in two similarly configured and geographically located rotor-wing air medical transport programs.


METHODS
A physical fitness assessment of flight crew members was conducted. The results were compared with published standards for average adult males and females (AVG). Percentage of fat in body composition (FM%), aerobic fitness (VO2MAX), muscular endurance (ME), muscular strength (MS) and flexibility (FL) measurements were obtained using accepted testing methods.


RESULTS
The study population consisted of 29 male and 21 female individuals. The following were their mean scores. Males averaged: pFAT = 19% (AVG = 20.0%); VO2MAX = 41.0 (AVG = 42.5); ME = 37.0 (AVG = 28.5); MS = 125.0 (AVG = 86.5); FL = 5.2 (AVG = 1.4); Females averaged: pFAT = 28.0% (AVG = 26.5%); VO2MAX (AVG = 34.0); ME = 27.0 (AVG = 21.0); MS = 83.0 (AVG = 76.5); FL = 4.5 (AVG = 3.4).


CONCLUSIONS
These baseline data suggest the study population of air medical flight crew was physically fit compared to the average American adult.
SkyMed, Ohio State University Hospitals, Columbus.
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D000328:Adult; D017732:Air Ambulances; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce