EMS Fitness Guidelines

Safety Sunday, Volume 1. Issue 2 (3/17/13)

Review of NAEMT's new EMS Fitness Guidelines

Hopefully you enjoyed the first week's safety Sunday message. This week will not be as statistic intensive, and will be mostly looking at an outside source. Next week I will present on the topic of violence on EMS providers. Here is the announcement this week from March 15, formally announcing the guidelines to the public.

Two weeks ago Don Lundy, current president of the National Association of EMTs (the nation's largest group of EMTs, click here to join) and American Council on Exercise Scientist Sabrena Merrill presented the final product of the EMS fitness guidelines at EMS World Conference in Washington DC. I was able to catch the tail end of this presentation and was able to preview this document over the last couple of months while the NAEMT health and safety committee did some final edits.

Here is an excerpt from the ACE guidelines about some of the background information about the need to examine EMS fitness issues.

As reported on NAEMT’s website, obesity and lack of physical fitness among the general population impact the ability of the EMS systems to effectively serve the needs of patients. That is, obese patients directly contribute to increasing levels of lifting-related injuries among EMS practitioners. In addition, the increased incidence of obesity and lack of physical fitness within EMS agencies also contribute to injuries and increases in chronic diseases. Specifically, NAEMT (2012) reports that:  

• EMS practitioners are seven times more likely than the average worker to miss work as a result of injury
• Half of all EMS workers suffer back pain annually   

• One out of four EMS practitioners will suffer a career-ending injury within the first four years of service  

• Back injury is the most frequently cited reason for leaving EMS  

• Back injuries are often the result of cumulative wear and tear

Other research on EMS practitioners and work-related injuries confirms the cause for concern about the occupational risks associated with performing the work. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census for the period 2003 to 2007 revealed that the majority of nonfatal injuries (84%) involved sprains and strains, mostly in the hands and fingers, and 42% affected the lower trunk. Approximately half of these incidents involved interaction with, or movement of, another person, often as a result of lifting or moving the patient (Reichard, Marsh, & Moore, 2011).

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also reported that among EMS worker injuries and illnesses, sprains and strains were the most common diagnosis. Most injuries affected the trunk, hand, and leg. For the years 2008 and 2009, the majority of sprain and strain injuries involved the EMS worker’s trunk. More than one-third of all sprain and strain injuries were related to interactions with a patient (NIOSH, 2009; NIOSH, 2008). These injury rates are alarming and reflect the need for EMS practitioners to meet and maintain the physical fitness requirements for the job.

    The most alarming statistic is the one that I and other EMS advocates use in explaining the risks associated with EMS jobs is the fact that 1 in 4 EMS practitioners will suffer a career-ending injury within the first 4 years of service. This fact points out the alarming rate of injuries EMS suffer.

The document does two very practical things, it provides a detailed Physical-ability assessment that helps identify postural deviations and/or physical deficiencies. Through the EMS specific assessment it helps identify what areas need improvement and have specified workouts and stretches to best improve those deficits.

Anyway, without further ado, please look through this great document which spent many months and brought together EMS and exercise professionals and researchers from around the country.

EMS Fitness Guidelines