title: Firefighter injuries are not just a fireground problem.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Linking firefighter injury reporting to general motion patterns may provide insight into potential injury mechanisms and the development of prevention strategies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the injuries sustained by members of a large Canadian metropolitan fire department over a 5-year span.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were taken from injury reports filed by career firefighters between 2007 and 2011. Injuries were described by job duty, type, body part affected, and the general motion pattern employed at the time of injury (e.g. lifting).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1311 injuries reported, 64% were categorized as sprains and strains (musculoskeletal disorders -MSDs), the most frequent of which affected the back (32%). Categorized by job duty, 65% of MSDs were sustained while working at the fire station or during physical training-related activities. Only 15% were attributed to fireground operations. Furthermore, the associated job duty could not differentiate the types of injuries sustained; back injuries occurred primarily while lifting, knee injuries while stepping, and shoulder injuries during pushing/pulling-related activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Firefighter injuries are not just a fireground problem. Injury causation may be better understood by linking the injury location and type with motion patterns rather than job duties. This information could assist in developing general prevention strategies for the fire service.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: T A C
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Beach
authors.affiliation: Calgary Fire Department, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: McGill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019567:Back Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002947:Cities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000009:adverse effects; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Ergonomics; knee injury; lower-back injury; musculoskeletal disorders; prevention