ANALYZING MOVEMENT & PREVENTING INJURY

By Hussien Jabai, MS, CSCS, TSAC-F, CPT

IT’S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST…

Reports show that one firefighter injury occurs every eight seconds. Every eight seconds! And a large percentage of these result from falls, slips, and jumps, as well as over-exertion and strain.

We all know that firefighters with a lower level of fitness have a higher risk of being injured on the job - that’s a basic equation.

But we also know that many firefighter injuries result from fitness training. And here’s an even bigger shocker: you’re four times more likely to get injured if you are training while on duty.

How can you increase your longevity, improve your fitness, reduce your chances of injury and perform effectively, all while not getting hurt in the process?

LET’S LOOK AT HABITUAL MOVEMENTS

A great place to start is by taking a close

look at the way that you perform the movements involved in your daily tasks. How many of us approach putting on our bunker gear, PPE, and SCBA, and enter and exit the fire engine exactly the

same way, every single time? Although repetition is effective in terms of time management when responding to a call, it can also cause us to lean, bend, twist, or move in patterns that might favor one side of the body over the other, creating imbalances and the possibility for strain and injury, particularly over the length of a career. Everyone’s movements are unique, so addressing movement patterns and inefficiencies should be done on an individual basis.

ALL ABOUT LOW BACK PAIN

One area of movement we analyze carefully in the fire service is spine rotation, with a focus on lower back wellness. Spinal rotation contributes to movement by transferring momentum from the lower body to the upper body. Excessive lumbar spine rotation may contribute to low back pain, and axial rotation of the torso is also a risk factor. Excessive rotation in various other parts of the spine can create stiffness in many areas involved in movement, altering the way the lumbar spine functions. Thoracic pain and low

back pain are common in the general population, but rates are higher in the fire

service thanks to the nature of the work and the physiological stressors associated with occupational demands.

DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION

The Four Steps toward Wellness Program Development can be a huge help implementing different approaches toward analyzing movement for you and your co-workers.

STEP 1

UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEEDS

As a tactical operator, you should evaluate your individual needs, including evaluating movements performed on a daily basis and at emergencies, possible injuries and illnesses, and the types of energy sources used on-duty. Other factors may include

call load, type, and duration, available equipment and resources, and fitness

education. You could even look at reaching out to local colleges and universities to offer to collaborate on fitness assessments and allow exercise science professionals to address your team’s individual fitness and nutritional needs. Universities that focus research efforts on first responder resilience can give you guidance on acquiring additional resources (such as devices that assist in managing physical strain and recovery), and can help develop strategies for injury mitigation.

STEP 2

BE OPEN TO LEARNING

In order to decrease injury risk, you need to

learn appropriate physical fitness training practices, how to modify and regulate training, and how certain exercises carry over to job performance and job-

related tasks. Find an exercise science professional with a sound understanding of occupational tasks and demands, and set up ongoing education workshops or clinics to support your wellness program. These experts can organize and/or lead fitness and wellness clinics to educate tactical personnel about health and human performance topics such as nutrition, exercise physiology, physical fitness testing and assessments, and training methodologies based on specific jobs.

STEP 4

EMPOWER THE TEAM

Maintaining a program can be a challenge.

Programs, once implemented, need consistent positive reinforcement from

command staff and management, as well as equipment updates and quality clinics and workshops. The same resources you invested in developing a robust, personnel-centered program need to be exerted to maintain it. Funding always seems to be a problem, but applying for grants, looking to the community for support and partnering with local colleges and universities can help.

STEP 3

LEAD WITH FITNESS

As a tactical operator, you can enroll in certificate programs and courses that will qualify you to be a fitness professional. Once you are qualified, you can use assessment tools and perform your own set of field tests to prescribe corrective exercise and instruct tactical strength and conditioning programs for your department – a huge benefit.

AND

FINALLY

The physical demands and injuries associated with firefighting are many and you must be strategic when addressing movement inefficiencies.

Incorporate the foundational principles of assessment, education, integration, and empowerment as you build your

wellness program, remembering that movement analysis plays a key role in any injury mitigation initiative.

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