title: Predicting stretcher carriage: Investigating variations in bilateral carry tests.
abstract: Carrying a casualty on a stretcher is a critical task within military and emergency service occupations. This study evaluated the impact of manipulating carry speed and the object type in bilateral carries on the ability to predict performance and reflect the physical and physiological requirements of a unilateral stretcher carry. We demonstrated that three task-related predictive tests; a jerry can carry performed at 4.5 km h(-1)or 5.0 km h(-1) and a kettle-bell carry performed at 5.0 km h(-1) were strongly predictive of the physical and physiological demands of an individual participating as part of a four-person stretcher carry team. Therefore, bilateral predictive assessments have the utility for predicting the suitability of employees to effectively and safely conduct a four-person unilateral stretcher carry.
authors.affiliation: Land Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia. Electronic address: ben.beck@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human and Applied Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Kane J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.affiliation: Land Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia.
authors.forename: Greg L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Carstairs
authors.affiliation: Land Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Billing
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human and Applied Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Joanne N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Caldwell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D058254:Stretchers; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: Employment standards; Job fitness test; Physical performance