Influence of a Training Academy on the Parasympathetic Nervous System Reactivation of Firefighter Recruits—An Observational Cohort Study

David J. Cornell, Sabrina E. Noel, Xiyuan Zhang and Kyle T. Ebersole
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David J. Cornell: Health Assessment Laboratory, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Sabrina E. Noel: Health Assessment Laboratory, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Xiyuan Zhang: Center for Population Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Kyle T. Ebersole: Human Performance and Sport Physiology Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading type of line-of-duty death among firefighters. An inability to restore parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) control after activity is associated with SCD. Post-exercise heart rate recovery (HRR) provides unique insight into reactivation of the PSNS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal changes in HRR responses of 25 male firefighter recruits. HR data were collected after submaximal exercise at week 1 (W1), week 6 (W6), and week 15 (W15) of their training at an academy. Percent maximal heart rate (%MHR) measures were computed at each HRR time point (%MHR 0 , %MHR 15 , %MHR 30 , %MHR 45 , %MHR 60 , %MHR 120 , %MHR 180 ) and absolute HRR values were calculated at 30 s (ΔHRR 30 ), 60 s (ΔHRR 60 ), 120 s (ΔHRR 120 ), and 180 s (ΔHRR 180 ). After controlling for age and percent body fat, there was no statistically significant interaction between Week × HRR ( p = 0.730), and there were no changes in ΔHRR 30 , ΔHRR 60 , and ΔHRR 120 , and ΔHRR 180 indices across time. However, %MHR at W6 and W15 was significantly lower than %MHR at W1 at every HRR time point ( p s < 0.001). Therefore, although the firefighter recruit training academy elicited positive training adaptations, changes in PSNS reactivation after submaximal activity were not identified.

Keywords: heart rate recovery; autonomic nervous system function; tactical athletes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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