Description:
Fighting wildland fire is a physically demanding occupation. Wildland firefighters need to be physically fit to work safely and productively. To determine whether personnel are fit for duty, many firefighting agencies employ physical competency tests, such as the pack hike test (PHT). The PHT involves a 4.83-km hike over level terrain carrying a 20.4-kg pack within a 45-min period. The PHT was devised to test the job readiness of US wildland firefighters but is also currently used by some fire agencies in Australia and Canada. This review discusses the history and development of the PHT with emphasis on the process of test validation. Research-based training advice for the PHT is given, as well as discussion of the risks associated with completing the PHT. Different versions and modifications to the PHT have emerged in recent years and these are discussed with regard to their validity. Finally, this review addresses the relevance and validity of the PHT for Australian and Canadian wildland firefighters. Statement of Relevance: This paper reviews the history, development and validity of the PHT, an internationally recognised and utilised wildland firefighter work capacity test. It is concluded that while the PHT has general content validity for US wildland firefighters, verification of its reliability, criterion and construct validity is still needed.
Description:
Health benefits of children’s participation in physical activity such as reduced risk of obesity and diabetes are promoted to parents. However parents’ perceptions of injury risk in sports and how this perception may affect their choice of sport for their child is unknown. The study surveyed 5385 parents of children from 5 – 17 years in 46 sports. A total of 887 surveys were returned. The Health Belief model was the theoretical framework for the study and the sports were divided into four groups – contact, incidental collision, limited contact and non-contact. Mothers completed the forms in 63% of cases and 52.2% of the children were males. The child selected the sport in 51.6% of` cases and generally parents did not believe that their involvement in their child’s sport choice would ensure their child was safer from injury. In the main parents did not believe the sport their child participated in was less likely to cause injury than other sports and this trend increased as the level of contact increased. Trained coaches were seen as very important in reducing injury risk in sport. Generally modified sport was not seen to positively impact on the parent’s choice of sport and parents did not think that cost of protective equipment was a barrier to providing for their child. Parents generally felt that they could assess the risk of injury in a sport but were not influenced by the risk of injury when allowing their child to play a particular sport.
Description:
Physical performance and electromyographic responses to an acute bout of paired set strength training versus traditional strength training. J Strength Cond Res 24(5): 1237-1245, 2010-The objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of performing paired set (PS) vs. traditional set (TS) training over 3 consecutive sets on volume load (VL) and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, latissimus dorsi, and trapezius muscles. Following a familiarization session 16 trained males performed 2 testing protocols using 4 repetition maximum loads: TS (3 sets of bench pull [Bpull] followed by 3 sets of bench press [Bpress] performed in approximately 20 minutes) or PS (3 sets of Bpull and 3 sets of Bpress performed in an alternating manner in approximately 10 minutes). Bpull and Bpress VL decreased significantly from set 1 to set 2 and from set 2 to set 3 under both conditions. There was no difference between VL per set, or over the sessions, between the 2 conditions. PS was determined to be more efficient (VL/time) as compared to TS. EMG activity of the 4 monitored muscles was not different for the 2 conditions or within each condition over the 3 sets. However, there was a significant within-set response in EMG activity in the Bpress exercise. The data suggest that a 4-minute rest interval between sets may not be adequate to maintain VL using either protocol. The data further suggest that PS training may be as effective as TS training in terms of VL maintenance and more effective in terms of efficiency. The comparison of EMG activity between the PS and TS protocols suggests that the level of neuromuscular fatigue does not differ under the 2 conditions. PS training would appear to be an effective method of exercise with respect to VL maintenance and efficiency.
Description:
Understanding organisational capacity is crucial for addressing how organisations can develop in order to contribute to health promotion objectives and facilitate the implementation of health promotion activities within their settings. This study explored the capacity of Sport Governing Organisations (SGOs) to participate in population-focused health promotion activities. Participants from SGOs in the Australian state of Victoria were invited to complete a Health Promotion and Sport Assessment Tool (HP-SAT) which included items from capacity building checklists (strength of a coalition, capacity of an organisation to tackle health issues, and quality of planning including strategic and operational planning for health promotion) and a partnership analysis tool. Participants completed the HP-SAT in two phases—first to identify their SGO's current capacity to implement health promotion activities; and second a reflection of their SGO's capacity five years previously, prior to funding from a health promotion body. For each substantive area in the HP-SAT (e.g., capacity to address health issues) a composite score was calculated by summing the numerically coded responses to each item pertaining to the particular area. The scores represented the capacity to implement health promotion activities, and were expressed on a scale of 0–100. Paired samples t-tests were used to test for differences in the capacity scores between the two time points. The mean scores for the six capacity and partnership areas ranged from 39.1 to 61.5 at the retrospective survey and significantly increased to 56.9–78.2 for the current survey (p < 0.05 for all six areas). Scores for operational planning for health promotion and SGO collaboration activities increased the most, by 27.9 and 19.4 percentage points, respectively. Strategic planning for health promotion scored the lowest for the current survey. This presentation will discuss how to build capacity within the sport sector to facilitate the implementation of health promotion activities and to engage sport settings in health promotion activities. In particular, it will focus on how to promote health by creating health-promoting environments and/or increase physical activity levels through sport participation.
Description:
The objective of this study was to examine the chronic effects on strength and power of performing complex versus traditional set training over eight weeks. Fifteen trained males were assessed for throw height, peak velocity, and peak power in the bench press throw and one-repetition maximum (1-RM) in the bench press and bench pull exercises, before and after the eight-week programme. The traditional set group performed the pulling before the pushing exercise sets, whereas the complex set group alternated pulling and pushing sets. The complex set training sessions were completed in approximately half the time. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was monitored during both test sessions in an attempt to determine if it was affected as a result of the training programme. Although there were no differences in the dependent variables between the two conditions, bench pull and bench press 1-RM increased significantly under the complex set condition and peak power increased significantly under the traditional set condition. Effect size statistics suggested that the complex set was more time-efficient than the traditional set condition with respect to development of 1-RM bench pull and bench press, peak velocity and peak power. The EMG activity was not affected. Complex set training would appear to be an effective method of exercise with respect to efficiency and strength development.
Description:
Introduction: Optimizing sporting organisations’ capacity to promote health requires development and implementation of appropriate policies and practices. One part of public health policy development involves establishing and enforcing rules and regulations via either externally enforced regulation (Regulatory Approach: RA) or by providing a broad regulatory framework to empower individuals and organisations to pro-actively identify and address contextually relevant issues through member participation (Self-assessment Approach: SA). SA is generally preferred in health promotion to facilitate organizational change, sustainability and ownership. Recently health promotion agencies have funded Sports Governing Organisations (SGOs) to develop policies and practices to promote the adoption of healthy and welcoming environments (HWEs) in affiliated clubs, thereby enhancing active participation and membership. The purpose of this study was to determine which of the two approaches should be used when implementing policy to promote HWEs in clubs. Methodology: Part A: Two focus groups were held, each with representatives of four SGOs. Part B: In-depth exploration involving interviews with SGO HWE program coordinators and representatives of individual community clubs (RA: n = 7, SA: n = 12) in two sports, one using RA and one SA. Results/conclusions: Part A revealed four SGOs adopted SA, two adopted RA, and two had no formal program. With the SA, there was a conscious effort by SGOs not to overload the community clubs given the limited capacity of club volunteers. The approach focused on providing best practice examples and tools to enable clubs to identify their own needs and priorities. The RA was considered very formal and directed, and usually implemented in a staged way as part of a comprehensive club development program. One SGO believed that the RA made it easier for clubs to better understand the HWE program. Part B revealed that both approaches had preferred elements. The club representatives liked the RA as it provided clear guidelines and expectations. It also assisted in standardising policies and practices and therefore assisted clubs to sustain effective management systems. The SA required that clubs had the capacity to identify their needs and priorities through the use of SGO-provided resources. Clubs reportedly enjoyed identifying their own priorities and continually developing within their own capacities and time frames. This approach favoured the development of HWE practices rather than policies. In contrast to accepted health promotion approaches, RA and SA were equally endorsed by their recipients. These findings will be discussed in relation to models of organisational transformation and capacity building.
Description:
The study aimed to determine prospectively a basketball injury profile, including severity of injury, and to compare the injury profile by gender and standard of competition. Trained observers viewed basketball games, noting the occurrence of injuries, and confirmed injuries by questioning all players on site after the game. Injured players completed a questionnaire and the progress of their injury was monitored by telephone interview. A total of 10,393 basketball participations were observed. An overall injury rate was documented of 18.3 per 1,000 participations (24.7 per 1,000 playing hours), and was comparable by gender and standard of competition. Serious injuries (missing one or more weeks of play) occurred at a rate of 2.89/1,000 participations; with the ankle joint the most common serious injury (1.25/1,000 participations), followed by the calf/anterior leg (0.48/1,000 participations) and knee joint (0.29/1,000 participations). The severity of the injury was significantly associated with the body region injured, with more serious injuries incurred to the lower limb than other body regions (p <.05). The severity of the injury incurred was not related to the standard of competition, gender, age, height, number of games played per week, amount of training undertaken, type of injury, or the mechanism of injury (p> .05).
Description:
This technical note describes a comparison of relative errors in one-camera 2D underwater motion analysis when using two different control structure methods for calibrating video images. Eleven male and six female participants performed underwater kicking swim trials. A reference structure of known length and each swimmer's actual (land measured) thigh length were each used to calibrate the movement space from which digitised thigh lengths were calculated from each trial. For each trial, mean thigh lengths calculated using the two methods were then compared to actual thigh length for each swimmer and the differences recorded. Mean differences between actual and computed thigh lengths for the two methods were shown to be similar. However, the spread of mean differences was much less when the actual thigh length was used for calibration. This result strongly supports the use of thigh length as a more accurate method of calibration for one-camera 2D underwater motion analysis.
Description:
We systematically reviewed the peer-reviewed literature to establish the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among immigrants in Australia and whether being an immigrant is a CVD risk factor. Of 23 studies identified, 12 were included. Higher prevalence of CVD was found among Middle Eastern, South Asian and some European immigrants. Higher prevalence of CVD risk factors was found among Middle Eastern and Southern European immigrants. Higher alcohol consumption was found among immigrants from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Smoking and physical inactivity were highly prevalent among most immigrants.
Description:
Adolescence is a critical time for developing lifelong healthy behaviours including regular participation in sport and physical activity. Participation in sport and physical activity, however, declines during adolescence and few studies have comprehensively identified why; particularly amongst rural girls. This study identifies a range of independent and interacting factors that influence sport and physical activity participation in rural adolescent girls. Methodology: The socio-ecological model of health was used to conduct four focus group discussions with Grade 7 girls (n = 34). Four secondary schools were randomly selected and checked for remoteness using SEIFA and ARIA+ Indexes. Results: Adolescent girls were positively influenced when sport or physical activities were fun, they involved being with friends, and were supported by families and teachers through role modelling and positive feedback. A range of intrapersonal and organisational factors affected perceived self-competence; particularly the co-educational nature of school physical education classes and peer teasing which supported social comparisons of skill level. Conclusions: In the promotion of sport and physical activity to rural adolescent girls, focus must be directed upon developmentally appropriate activities that are fun, opportunities for single-sex classes, and generating cultural changes that encourage non-competitive, and self-referencing activities.
Description:
Sport and recreation settings have been used to encourage healthier behaviours through a legislative and policy approach to health promotion via the replacement of tobacco industry sponsorship with health-focused sponsorship. Few studies have used standard and rigorous evaluation tools to identify health promotion policies and practices in sport settings. This study identified health promotion changes within Sport Governing Organisations (SGOs) with respect to the implementation of sport-related health promotion policies and practices in the context of SGO-organised events and in terms of the support provided by SGOs to their affiliated clubs. The Health Promotion and Sport Assessment Tool (HP-SAT) was used to measure health promotion policies and practices regarding smoke-free environments, responsible serving of alcohol, healthy eating, sun protection, injury prevention, club management, and a miscellaneous “other” category (e.g., engagement of health inequality groups). The HP-SAT has moderate to excellent reliability (0.41–0.99). Participants completed the HP-SAT in two phases—first they identified their SGOs current health promotion policies and practices (2007); and second they reflected of their SGO's health promotion policies and practices prior to funding from a health promotion body (2003). For each substantive area in the HP-SAT (e.g. smoke-free environments) a composite score was calculated by summing the numerically coded responses to each item pertaining to the particular area. The scores represented the existence and implementation of health promotion policies and practices and were expressed on a scale of 0-100. Paired samples t-tests were used to test for differences in the scores between the two time points. The mean existence and implementation scores for sport-related health promotion policies and practices for SGO-organised events ranged from 42.9 to 77.6 at the retrospective survey, and increased significantly for the current survey (range: 67.8–90.6; p < 0.05) for all composite scores except sun protection and injury prevention policies. The mean existence and implementation score for sport-related health promotion policies and practices for SGO affiliated clubs ranged from 20.8 to 64.7 at the retrospective survey and 46.3–88.5 at the current survey. Statistically significant increases were found for all composite scores except sun protection and injury prevention (p < 0.05). The existence and implementation of items relating to healthy eating were lowest for both surveys; whilst responses for club management and injury prevention were highest for both surveys. These data indicate that sport has increased its capacity and role in promoting good health since 2003.
Effect of a low-resource-intensive lifestyle modification program incorporating gymnasium-based and home-based resistance training on Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Australian adults
Description:
OBJECTIVE - The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a low-resource-intensive lifestyle modification program incorporating resistance training and to compare a gymnasium-based with a home-based resistance training program on diabetes diagnosis sa us and risk. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A quasi-experimental two-group study was undertaken with 122 participants with diabetes risk factors; 36.9% had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at baseline. The intervention included a 6-week group self-management education program, a gymnasium-based or home-based 12-week resistance training program, and a 34-week maintenance program. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h plasma glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, body composition, physical activity, and diet were assessed at baseline and week 52. RESULTS - Mean 2-h plasma glucose and FPG fell by 0.34 mmol/l (95% CI -0.60 to -0.08) and 0.15 mmol/l (-0.23 to -0.07), respectively. The proportion of participants with IFG or IGT decreased from 36.9 to 23.0% (P = 0.006). Mean weight loss was 4.07 kg (-4.99 to -3.15). The only significant difference between resistance training groups was a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure for the gymnasium-based group (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS - This intervention significantly improved diabetes diagnostic status and reduced diabetes risk to a degree comparable to that of other low-resource-intensive lifestyle modification programs and more intensive interventions applied to individuals with IGT. The effects of home-based and gymnasium-based resistance training did not differ significantly.
Description:
OBJECTIVE - The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a low-resource-intensive lifestyle modification program incorporating resistance training and to compare a gymnasium-based with a home-based resistance training program on diabetes diagnosis sa us and risk. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A quasi-experimental two-group study was undertaken with 122 participants with diabetes risk factors; 36.9% had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at baseline. The intervention included a 6-week group self-management education program, a gymnasium-based or home-based 12-week resistance training program, and a 34-week maintenance program. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-h plasma glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, body composition, physical activity, and diet were assessed at baseline and week 52. RESULTS - Mean 2-h plasma glucose and FPG fell by 0.34 mmol/l (95% CI -0.60 to -0.08) and 0.15 mmol/l (-0.23 to -0.07), respectively. The proportion of participants with IFG or IGT decreased from 36.9 to 23.0% (P = 0.006). Mean weight loss was 4.07 kg (-4.99 to -3.15). The only significant difference between resistance training groups was a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure for the gymnasium-based group (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS - This intervention significantly improved diabetes diagnostic status and reduced diabetes risk to a degree comparable to that of other low-resource-intensive lifestyle modification programs and more intensive interventions applied to individuals with IGT. The effects of home-based and gymnasium-based resistance training did not differ significantly.
Description:
The effect of a complex agonist and antagonist resistance training protocol on volume load and power output, electromyographic responses, and efficiency. J Strength Cond Res 24(7): 17821789, 2010-The objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of performing traditional set (TS) vs. complex set (CS) agonist-antagonist training over 3 consecutive sets, on bench press throw (BPT) throw height (TH), peak velocity (PV), peak power (PP), bench pull volume load (VL), and electromyographic (EMG) activity. Eighteen trained men performed 2 testing protocols: TS comprising 3 sets of Bpull followed by 3 sets of BPT performed in approximately 20 minutes or CS comprising 3 sets of both Bpull and BPT performed in an alternating manner in approximately 10 minutes. Throw height, PV, PP, and EMG activity were not different within, or between, the 2 conditions. Bench pull VL decreased significantly from set 1 to sets 2 and 3, un! der both conditions. Decreases from set 1 to set 2 were 14.55 +/- 26.11 and 9.07 +/- 13.89% and from set 1 to set 3 were 16.87 +/- 29.90 and 14.17 +/- 18.37% under CS and TS, respectively. There was no difference in VL per set, or session, between the conditions. Although there was no augmentation of the power measures, CS was determined to have approximately twice the efficiency (ouput/time) as compared to TS. Efficiency calculations for VL, TH, PV, and PP are 103.47 kg.min(-1), 26.25 cm.min(-1), 1.98 m.s(-1).min(-1), 890.39 W.min(-1) under CS and 54.71 kg.min(-1), 13.02 cm.min(-1), 0.99 m.s(-1).min(-1), 459.28 W.min(-1) under TS. Comparison of EMG activity between the protocols suggests the level of neuromuscular fatigue did not differ under the 2 conditions. Complex set training would appear to be an effective method of exercise with respect to efficiency and the maintenance of TH, PV, PP, and VL.
Description:
This paper was one of the first to explore the potential for community advocacy strategies to be formally integrated into local government sport and recreation decision making. In this way it examined the barriers, facilitators and tensions that affect the integration of community advocacy groups into local government structures.
Description:
Objective: To investigate whether being an immigrant is increase risk for AMI and stroke. Design and setting: A retrospective analysis of Victorian hospital admissions in 1996/97 and 2001/02 was conducted. Participants: AMI and stroke were defined using primary cases of admission of ICD-9-CM:‘P410’,ICD-10-AM:‘121’,‘122’and stroke ICD-9-CM‘P433’,’P436’,ICD- 10-AM ‘163’,‘164’diagnostic codes. Main outcome measured: Rate ratio (RR) of AMI and stroke were calculated using 1996 and 2001 Australian census data. Results: Male immigrants from three ethnic groups: USSR/Baltic (RR 3.91 95%CI 3.22,4.71), Southern Asia (RR 1.56 95%CI 1.31,1.85) and Middle East (RR 1.34 95%CI 1.10,1.63), consistently displayed higher risk for AMI (both years) than the Australian born cohort; while Southeast Asians (RR 0.51 95%CI 0.42,0.62) and Northeast Asians (RR 0.35 95%CI 0.24,0.50) were at lower risk. The findings for females were less consistent. North East Asian male and female immigrants (RR 0.57 95% CI 0.41, 0.76, RR 0.56 95%CI 0.41, 0.74), were consistently at lower risk for stroke than Australian born counterparts. Female immigrants from the Pacific Islands were consistently at higher risk (RR 1.52 95%CI 1.25, 1.84, RR 1.22 95%CI 0.98, 1.51) of stroke than Australian born women. Conclusion: A number of Non-Australian born adult males currently residing in Victoria are identified at increased risk of AMI, whereas few groups are at decreased risk, compared to Australian born males. North East Asian males and females were consistently at a lower risk for AMI and stroke than their Australian-born counterparts. However, Asia male and female immigrants are generally at a lower risk of stroke.