Can POWERbreathe assist firefighters?
A bit about fire-fighting… Fire fighting has long been regarded as one of the most physically demanding of all civilian occupations. One aspect of performance, which has received little or no attention, is that of the spontaneous physiological response of the respiratory system. This is surprising, particularly as all active fire fighters use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). An on-going project at the University of Birmingham Sports Medicine and Human Performance Unit has unearthed some surprising and not-so-surprising findings about respiratory performance in fire fighters. Background: Fire-fighter ensemble with SCBA weighs up to 26kg. This mass is carried on the upper body and restricts movement of the upper body, including breathing. Background findings: Lung function is impaired whilst wearing SCBA Respiratory muscle strength and lung function are impaired further after physical work in SCBA The respiratory muscles of fire-fighters are stronger than those of matched civ
