Cardiorespiratory fitness is a risk factor for lower-limb and back injury in law enforcement officers commencing their basic training: a prospective cohort study

Res Sports Med. 2024 May-Jun;32(3):511-523. doi: 10.1080/15438627.2022.2139618. Epub 2022 Oct 25.

Abstract

We aimed to report the epidemiology of lower-limb and lumbosacral injuries in Police Force recruits. We performed a cohort study of Police Force recruits undergoing a six-month training program with prospective injury data collected between 2018 and 2021. Cardiorespiratory fitness was quantified by the beep-test and police-specific-functional-capacity was quantified using a specifically designed physical performance evaluation (PPE) tool. Injury frequency and prevalence were reported. Fifteen percent (n = 180) of study Police Force recruits (n = 1,181) sustained a lower-limb or lumbosacral injury. The six-month training program significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness (p < 0.001) and functional capacity (p < 0.001). Increased cardiorespiratory fitness at baseline decreased injury risk (OR = 0.8, 95%CI: 0.66-0.97, p = 0.019). Injury rates decreased over time and females were injured significantly earlier than males (HR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.52 to 0.95, p = 0.021). Interventions that can pre-condition Police Force recruits prior to the commencement of their basic physical training may reduce the number of lower-limb and lumbosacral injuries.

Keywords: Injury; epidemiology; police; prevention.

MeSH terms

  • Back Injuries*
  • Cardiorespiratory Fitness*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Physical Fitness
  • Police
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors