Effects of fitness on self-reported physical and mental quality of life in professional firefighters: An exploratory study

Abstract

Background: The work-related stress experienced by firefighters is associated with numerous health issues. In the general population, improving physical fitness is associated with improvements in both mental and physical quality of life.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine whether fitter professional firefighters report greater physical and mental quality of life.

Methods: Twenty-three professional firefighters (males = 21, females = 2; age: 36.78±7.12yrs; height: 176.96±5.67 cm; weight: 88.20±16.02 kg; years of service: 8.70±6.62years) volunteered for the study. Participants completed a fitness protocol that included the wall sit and reach, Y-balance test, vertical jump, 1 repetition maximum bench press, pull-ups to failure, push-ups to failure, a plank hold and 1-mile run. The short form 36 questionnaire was used to assess overall quality of life. Firefighters were divided into "high" and "low" groups for physical and mental quality of life. Group differences in fitness parameters were assessed using a multivariate analysis of covariance with gender, age, years of service, height, and body mass as co-variates.

Results: Firefighters with lower mental quality of life had lower body fat percentages (p = 0.003), fat mass (p = 0.036), greater fat free mass (p = 0.015), vertical jump height (p = 0.024) and performed more pull-ups (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in any of the fitness measures between high and low physical quality of life groups.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that physical fitness of firefighters is not indicative of overall health. Firefighters might use exercise to cope for psychological stress and a holistic approach to improve firefighter quality of life is recommended.

Keywords: Body composition; emergency responders; mental health; physical health; wellbeing.