(44) RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX AND FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN AND Y-BALANCE TEST AMONG FIREFIGHTERS

Due to physical demands on firefighters while on duty, they are at an increased risk of injury on the job including sprains, strains, and chronic muscular pain. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a tool to examine an individual’s mobility quality. Current research has found an inverse relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and FMS scores in a variety of populations. The Y-balance test (YBT) measures dynamic balance and functional symmetry. Limited mobility quality, whether bilateral or unilateral has been associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury.  Limited research exists on BMI and YBT. PURPOSE: Identifying the potential relationship between BMI and FMS, and YBT among firefighters could provide insight on potential injury risk due to movement discrepancies or body composition.

Methods: Retrospective study design. Ten subjects (female=10; male=4) between ages of 24 and 49 (average=33.5±7.2) with an average height of 173±10.0 cm and average weight of 81.84±25.24 kg. Only subjects with complete data collection were utilized. The following demographic data were reviewed: height, weight, age. Subjects performed FMS screen and YBT.  Subjects were organized into three categories: healthy (BMI 18.5-24.99), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), and obese (BMI ≥ 30.0), according to ACSM guidelines.

Results: Average BMI for females was 25.5 (SD= 3.04) and average BMI for males was 29.2 (SD= 6.53). Subjects in the “healthy” category (n=4; FMS composite= 15.5) demonstrated higher scores on overall composite FMS compared to “overweight” (n=3; FMS composite= 13) and “obese” (n=3; FMS composite= 10) categories. YBT asymmetry had a significant inverse relationship with BMI (r= -0.501, p< 0.001). There was a significant correlation between BMI and right shoulder mobility (r=0.737, p< 0.05) but not left shoulder mobility (r=0.816, p=0.351). The relationship between shoulder mobility asymmetry (SMA) and BMI was statistically significant (r=-0.192, p< 0.001). Those that had a higher shoulder mobility FMS score showed lower SMA (r= -0.456, p=< 0.001). BMI was also significantly correlated with the deep squat (r= -0.561, p< 0.001), rotary stability (r= -0.503, p< 0.001), and overall FMS score (r-0.538, p< 0.001). Age only had a moderate correlation with right (r= 0.509, p< 0.05) and left (r=0.512, p< 0.05) shoulder mobility.

Conclusion: FMS composite scores declined with higher BMI and increased age, indicating an inefficient movement and thus a potential higher risk of injury. FMS and YBT can be used to understand overall movement quality but may not predict a firefighter’s ability to perform job related tasks. Higher BMI is not a reliable measurement for determining work ability and an individual’s overall fitness status. Asymmetries were a significant factor yet had an inverse correlation with BMI. Although the level of SMA declined in those with a higher BMI, this could in part due to limitations of glenohumeral range of motion rather than solely influenced by adipose tissue. Utilizing BMI and movement assessments in the firefighting population can provide insightful data when creating fitness programs. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: These findings suggest a reduction in BMI may result in improvement in movement quality which can translate to a reduction in risk of injury and improving overall fitness.

Acknowledgements: None