Reliability of stress-related psychosocial measures among career firefighters.

Greater occupational stress among firefighters has been associated with adverse health outcomes, such as musculoskeletal injuries. Longitudinal examinations are needed to identify if occupational stress contributes to the risk of occupational health consequences. However, the instruments available to assess occupational stress and related constructs were developed for general populations, rather than tactical populations.

Effect of On-Duty Resistance Training Fatigue on Neuromuscular Function in Structural Firefighters.

Background: Participation in on-duty exercise is critical to enhance firefighter safety and readiness. However, these sessions are often interrupted with emergency responses and require firefighters to work in a fatigued state that may increase injury risk.

Objective: To assess the impact of on-duty resistance training on neuromuscular function.

Sex and Sport-Specific Differences on Baseline Concussion Balance Test Performance in Division-I Collegiate Athletes.

Objective: This study aimed to identify factors affecting baseline performance in collegiate athletes using the Concussion Balance Test (COBALT©).

Design: Cross-sectional study design.

Setting: Sports medicine research laboratory.

Performance on the Concussion Balance Test Is Indicative of Time to Recovery in Athletes Following Sports-Related Concussion: An Exploratory Analysis.

Objective: Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are commonly occurring injuries among athletic and recreationally active populations. SRCs can result in vestibular dysfunction that should resolve before returning to activity. It has been suggested that vestibular impairment is a factor that may influence recovery time.

Workday Habits and Fatigue of American Jockeys.

Objective: The study aims to characterize the workday habits of American jockeys and evaluate the relationship between workday habits and fatigue through changes in postural stability (balance) across their workday.

Methods: Thirty-seven jockeys participated in prerace and postrace day testing. Jockeys completed questionnaires on workday habits and a 2-minute balance test with triaxial accelerometers on the unstable surface and sacrum.

An observational study: Correlation between self-perceived readiness and physical performance in healthy individuals.

Introduction: In complex environments, individuals need to anticipate and react to stimuli by integrating complex systems and skills. Identifying the perceptual-cognitive, physical, and health characteristics that afford effective performance is necessary for developing training and readiness strategies. Measuring readiness by establishing a relationship between the Acute Readiness Monitoring Scale (ARMS) and performance during perceptual-cognitive tasks is essential.

Protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial of gentle yoga in older patients discharged from phase II cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is essential following an acute cardiac event. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is commonly prescribed, and PA after CR is recommended. Because of age-related changes in functional ability and multi-comorbidity, many older cardiac patients struggle to continue performing PA at home after CR.

Relationships Among Baseline Concussion Balance Test and Gaze Stability Test Scores in Division-I Collegiate Athletes.

Context: Sports-related concussions are commonly occurring injuries as a result of sports and recreation that may cause alterations in brain functioning. It is important to be able to evaluate the impact of these injuries on function to manage the injury recovery and ensure recovery. Recent literature suggests the use of objective evaluation strategies in a multifaceted approach to evaluate and manage these injuries.

Etiology of Exercise Injuries in Firefighters: A Healthcare Practitioners' Perspective.

The purpose of this study was to query healthcare practitioners (HCPs) who treat firefighter injuries to identify risk factors and mechanisms associated with musculoskeletal injuries during exercise. A phenomenological design was utilized to understand the experiences of HCPs while treating firefighters' musculoskeletal injuries due to exercise. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 HCPs.

The effect of extended shift work on autonomic function in occupational settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To examine the effect of 24-h shift work on autonomic nervous system function via heart rate variability (HRV) methodologies.

Methods: Electronic databases (indexed in either PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, or OpenDissertations) were searched from January 1964 to March 2023. A modified Downs and Black checklist was used for assessing methodological quality and the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the quality of evidence.

Effects of foot intensive rehabilitation (FIRE) on clinical outcomes for patients with chronic ankle instability: a randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: Lateral ankle sprains account for a large proportion of musculoskeletal injuries among civilians and military service members, with up to 40% of patients developing chronic ankle instability (CAI). Although foot function is compromised in patients with CAI, these impairments are not routinely addressed by current standard of care (SOC) rehabilitation protocols, potentially limiting their effectiveness. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine if a Foot Intensive REhabilitation (FIRE) protocol is more effective compared to SOC rehabilitation for patients with CAI.

Computerized Cognitive Function Does Not Correlate With Choice Reaction Time During a Hopping Task.

Context: Cognitive performance has been shown to be associated with musculoskeletal injury risk. Cognitive assessments are often administered in controlled environments despite sport settings challenging cognition in uncontrolled, less predictable environments. Cognitive assessments should be representative of sport demands; thus, integrating motor with cognitive assessments may be more clinically relevant.

The Acute Effect of High-Intensity Resistance Training on Subsequent Firefighter Performance.

Mason, MR, Heebner, NR, Abt, JP, Bergstrom, HC, Shapiro, R, Langford, EL, and Abel, MG. The acute effect of high-intensity resistance training on subsequent firefighter performance. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1507-1514, 2023-High-intensity resistance training (HIRT) is commonly performed by structural firefighters on duty to enhance occupational readiness.

Pain Early After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction is Associated With 6-Month Loading Mechanics During Running.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) results in persistent altered knee biomechanics, but contributing factors such as pain or patient function, leading to the altered loading, are unknown.

Hypothesis: Individuals with worse self-reported pain after ACLR would have poorer biomechanics during running, and poor loading mechanics would be present in the ACLR limb compared with contralateral and control limbs.

Study Design: Cohort pilot study.

No pain, no gain: The military overtraining hypothesis of musculoskeletal stress and injury.

The purpose of this manuscript is to present a model of military overtraining and subsequent injury, discharge, and disability. Military training and combat operations are physically and physiologically demanding, placing great strain on the musculoskeletal system of warfighters. Non-battle musculoskeletal injuries (MSKI) are common and present a serious threat to operational readiness in today's military.

A Pilot Study Comparing Two Measures of Perceived Health Services Access Among Military Veterans With Musculoskeletal Injuries and Mental Health Conditions.

Introduction: Service members endure a number of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) during service (e.g., ankle sprains and chronic back pain).

Combined driving: task-specific position impacts grip strength of equestrian athletes.

Background: Loss of hand strength is a predictor of mortality in aging populations. Despite reliance on the hands to participate in equestrian driving activity, no existing studies focus on associations of hand strength to athletic performance. Therefore, this study 1) established baseline handgrip of equestrian combined drivers in standing and task-specific positions, 2) determined endurance of task-specific handgrip, 3) compared handgrip strength to normative data, and 4) evaluated associations of handgrip and equestrian-specific variables.

Asymmetrical Loading Patterns in Military Personnel With a History of Self-Reported Low Back Pain.

Background: Servicemembers are required to operate at high levels despite experiencing common injuries such as chronic low back pain. Continuing high levels of activity while compensating for pain may increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. As such, the purpose of this project was to determine if servicemembers with chronic low back pain have reduced lower extremity performance, and if they use alternate strategies to complete a functional performance task as compared to healthy servicemembers.

Specificity of isokinetic assessment in noncontact knee injury prevention screening: A novel assessment procedure with relationships between variables in amateur adult agility-sport athletes.

Objectives: To present a new knee isokinetic assessment procedure linked to noncontact knee injury mechanisms and examine correlations between variables relevant to noncontact knee injury prevention screening (peak torque [PT, Nm], time-to-peak torque [TTPT, ms], angle-of-peak torque [APT, °], mean PT [MPT, Nm]).

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Sports medicine laboratory.

Comparisons and Intercorrelations of Physical Performance Variables of Operational Preparedness in Special Operations Forces.

Introduction: Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) deploys teams of operators (OP) and enablers (EN) to accomplish special operations missions. OP and EN are required to train and deploy together to accomplish these missions; however, they have different training and selection pipelines. Advanced strength and conditioning training strategies are applied to both OP and EN to enhance physical preparedness; however, it is unclear how the selection pipeline of these two personnel types affects overall physical preparedness and the relationships between performance variables.

Slower visuomotor reaction time in division-I collegiate athletes with a history of ankle sprain.

The purpose of this study was to compare visuomotor reaction time (VMRT) in collegiate athletes based on ankle sprain history. Participants included athletes with ankle sprain history (n = 18) and athletes with no ankle sprain history (n = 33). Participants completed an upper-extremity VMRT task which was comprised of eight wireless light-emitting diode sensors.

Resting state functional connectivity responses post-mild traumatic brain injury: a systematic review.

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are associated with functional network connectivity alterations throughout recovery. Yet, little is known about the adaptive or maladaptive nature of post-mTBI connectivity and which networks are predisposed to altered function and adaptation. The objective of this review was to determine functional connectivity changes post-mTBI and to determine the adaptive or maladaptive nature of connectivity through direct comparisons of connectivity and behavioral data.

Training Strategies Maintain Performance Characteristics in Marines Selected for Marine Forces Special Operations Individualized Training Course.

Introduction: Marines must complete an intensive Assessment and Selection (A&S) course before becoming a U.S. Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Raider.