Low physical fitness relates to future mental and physical health in female public safety personnel.

Take home message

• Among public safety personnel, sustaining a musculoskeletal injury was more likely in those with lower bone mineral density, decreased relative upper body strength, and increased lower body power, while decreased lower body endurance and flexibility were related to future menstrual cycle
• Lower bone mineral density was also related to future self-reported burnout and
• To predict poor health outcomes in female public safety personnel, such as musculoskeletal injury, menstrual cycle disruptions, depression, and burnout, comprehensive assessments should include diverse aspects of physical fitness, bone mineral density, mental health, and reproductive health

Background

• Injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones, depression, and burnout place a considerable burden on police, paramedics, firefighters and healthcare providers (public safety personnel).
• Physical fitness is related to both mental and physical health in these populations, but females are drastically underrepresented in this literature.
• In addition, little is known about the relationship between physical fitness and the reproductive health of females employed in these roles.
• As female representation in public safety personnel roles increases, there is a need for female-specific health and performance

How the study was done

• Thirty-five premenopausal (51% had given birth previously) females employed as police officers, paramedics, firefighters, or healthcare providers, with an average age of 35 years, weight of 67kg, height of 1.67m, completed a health questionnaire and comprehensive physical fitness testing comprised of bone mineral density, muscular strength, muscular endurance, muscular power, flexibility, and aerobic capacity.
• 6-7 months after the physical testing, they completed a follow-up survey pertaining to musculoskeletal injuries, mental health, and reproductive health.
• The initial health questionnaire and physical testing results were compared to the results of the follow-up survey. Specifically, those who sustained musculoskeletal injuries, reported irregular menstrual cycles, screened positive for depression, or self-identified as experiencing burnout were compared to those who did not report these health outcomes.

What the researchers found

• Lower four-repetition maximum bench press weight relative to bodyweight, longer jump distance, and lower bone mineral density (total, wrist, and proximal femur) were related to sustaining new acute and repetitive strain injuries in the 7 months following fitness testing.
• Lower bone mineral density in the wrist was predictive of burnout, while low bone mineral density in the lumbar spine, proximal femur, and total body was associated with depression 7 months after testing.
• Those with decreased sit-and-reach or shorter single-leg wall sit times were more likely to miss at least one period over the subsequent 7 months or be using hormonal birth control.
• While 77.1% self-reported their mental health as ‘healthy’ or ‘very healthy’, 46.8% scored within the diagnostic criteria for depression and 78.6% were ‘currently in burnout’.
• All participants said the fitness testing informed them of their physical health. Almost all (97%) believed doing this type of assessment every year would benefit their physical health and over half (62%) said it would benefit their mental health too.

Conclusion

• Physical fitness characteristics seem to be helpful indicators of future musculoskeletal injury risk, menstrual cycle disruptions, and mental health status among female police officers, paramedics, firefighters, and healthcare providers.
• Conducting annual assessments that evaluate physical fitness performance, bone mineral density, mental health, and reproductive health could offer valuable insights into the well-being of public safety personnel, as well as inform targeted health interventions.