title: Greater physical fitness is associated with better air ventilation efficiency in firefighters.
abstract: Firefighting is a hazardous task associated with a heavy workload where task duration may be limited by air cylinder capacity. Increased fitness may lead to better air ventilation efficiency and task duration at a given heavy work intensity. This study compared performance, air ventilation and skeletal muscle oxygen extraction during a maximal graded walking test (GWT), a 10 METS (metabolic equivalent) treadmill test (T10) and a simulated work circuit (SWC). Participants (n = 13) who performed the SWC in a shorter time had significantly lower air cylinder ventilation values on the T10 (r = -0.495), better peak oxygen consumption (r = -0.924) during the GWT and significantly greater skeletal muscle oxygen extraction during the SWC (HbDiff, r = 0.768). These results demonstrate that the fastest participants on the SWC had better air ventilation efficiency that could prolong interventions in difficult situations requiring air cylinder use.
authors.affiliation: Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gendron
authors.affiliation: Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freiberger
authors.affiliation: Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laurencelle
authors.affiliation: Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trudeau
authors.affiliation: Département des sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351, boul. des Forges, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada G9A 5H7. Electronic address: claude.lajoie@uqtr.ca.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lajoie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005080:Exercise Test; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055686:Metabolic Equivalent; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Firefighting; Near infrared spectroscopy; Work efficiency