title: Maximum aerobic capacity of underground coal miners in India.
abstract: Miners fitness test was assessed in terms of determination of maximum aerobic capacity by an indirect method following a standard step test protocol before going down to mine by taking into consideration of heart rates (Telemetric recording) and oxygen consumption of the subjects (Oxylog-II) during exercise at different working rates. Maximal heart rate was derived as 220-age. Coal miners reported a maximum aerobic capacity within a range of 35-38.3 mL/kg/min. It also revealed that oldest miners (50-59 yrs) had a lowest maximal oxygen uptake (34.2 ± 3.38 mL/kg/min) compared to (42.4 ± 2.03 mL/kg/min) compared to (42.4 ± 2.03 mL/kg/min) the youngest group (20-29 yrs). It was found to be negatively correlated with age (r = -0.55 and -0.33 for younger and older groups respectively) and directly associated with the body weight of the subjects (r = 0.57 - 0.68, P ≤ 0.001). Carriers showed maximum cardio respiratory capacity compared to other miners. Indian miners VO(2 max) was found to be lower both compared to their abroad mining counterparts and various other non-mining occupational working groups in India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, National Medical College, Bhediyahi-18, P.O. Box 78, Parsa, Birgunj, Nepal. rdsaha@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ratnadeep
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: Netai Chandra
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: Amalendu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.forename: Rajib
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biswas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D003032:Coal Mining; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult