TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of swimming versus running maximal aerobic capacity in helicopter rescue paramedics
AU - Meadley, Ben
AU - Horton, Ella
AU - Pyne, David B
AU - Perraton, Luke
AU - Smith, Karen
AU - Bowles, Kelly-Ann
AU - Caldwell, Joanne
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by research grants from the Ambulance Victoria/Helimed 1 Ambulance Auxiliary and the Australasian College of Paramedicine. Ambulance Victoria provided in-kind support with access to medical consumables and reimbursement of accommodation costs to support the research team. Ambulance Victoria provided technical support through the provision of heart rate monitoring devices and capillary blood lactate monitors and associated consumables. None of the funders had influence on study design, protocol development or reporting of results. We thank the ICFPs of Ambulance Victoria, for without their expertise and cooperation, this study would have not been possible. We thank the management team at Ambulance Victoria and the Ambulance Victoria Centre for Research and Evaluation for the strong support of this project. We thank the numerous Ambulance Victoria paramedics and Monash University students who volunteered their time as research assistants to aid data collection. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Kristal Hammond, Lead Physiologist (Swimming), Victorian Institute of Sport in developing the swimming protocol.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Swimming is a critical task for helicopter rescue paramedics and aerobic capacity is assessed in this occupation to determine job suitability. We evaluated one treadmill-based and one pool-based assessment of maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2peak) in 14 helicopter rescue paramedics. There was a small absolute difference (p = 0.11, d = 0.46) between V̇O2peak in the swim (45.5 ± 7.8 ml.kg-1.min-1) compared to the run (48.5 ± 5.5 ml.kg-1.min-1), with a moderate relationship noted (r = 0.74, 95% CI [0.35-, 0.91], p = 0.0023). Whilst not interchangeable, run V̇O2peak was a predictor of swim V̇O2peak. Maximal blood lactate was similar (p = 0.93) in swim (13.4 ± 3.8 mmol.L-1) and run (12.2 ± 3.0 mmol.L-1), and maximal heart rate 13% lower (p < 0.0001) in the swim (162 ± 11 bpm) versus the run (186 ± 10 bpm). To estimate swimming V̇O2peak in paramedics a treadmill test is sufficient but does not replace assessment of swimming proficiency.PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: We developed a swim protocol to assess maximal aerobic capacity in helicopter rescue paramedics. Compared to a treadmill-based test, our swim protocol generated 20% lower submaximal V̇O2 and 6% lower V̇O2peak. Although not interchangeable, a treadmill V̇O2peak test is indicative of maximal aerobic capacity in rescue paramedics whilst swimming.
AB - Swimming is a critical task for helicopter rescue paramedics and aerobic capacity is assessed in this occupation to determine job suitability. We evaluated one treadmill-based and one pool-based assessment of maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2peak) in 14 helicopter rescue paramedics. There was a small absolute difference (p = 0.11, d = 0.46) between V̇O2peak in the swim (45.5 ± 7.8 ml.kg-1.min-1) compared to the run (48.5 ± 5.5 ml.kg-1.min-1), with a moderate relationship noted (r = 0.74, 95% CI [0.35-, 0.91], p = 0.0023). Whilst not interchangeable, run V̇O2peak was a predictor of swim V̇O2peak. Maximal blood lactate was similar (p = 0.93) in swim (13.4 ± 3.8 mmol.L-1) and run (12.2 ± 3.0 mmol.L-1), and maximal heart rate 13% lower (p < 0.0001) in the swim (162 ± 11 bpm) versus the run (186 ± 10 bpm). To estimate swimming V̇O2peak in paramedics a treadmill test is sufficient but does not replace assessment of swimming proficiency.PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: We developed a swim protocol to assess maximal aerobic capacity in helicopter rescue paramedics. Compared to a treadmill-based test, our swim protocol generated 20% lower submaximal V̇O2 and 6% lower V̇O2peak. Although not interchangeable, a treadmill V̇O2peak test is indicative of maximal aerobic capacity in rescue paramedics whilst swimming.
KW - aerobic capacity
KW - emergency medical services
KW - exercise performance
KW - Human performance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104289049&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00140139.2021.1910350
DO - 10.1080/00140139.2021.1910350
M3 - Article
C2 - 33821772
SN - 1366-5847
VL - 64
SP - 1243
EP - 1254
JO - Ergonomics
JF - Ergonomics
IS - 10
ER -