Public Safety is a reactive business. We train and prepare for all types of emergencies, and respond to them with skill, compassion and efficiency. But because of this our predominant mindset is reactive, instead of being more proactive.
If you have worked in public safety long enough you have seen many an injury to co-workers. The treatment offered after the injury is appropriate and aimed at a swift return to work. Our cruisers, gear, equipment, seats etc. are all designed to be as accommodating and ergonomic as possible. Some of these injuries that we will sustain are not our fault; stepping in a hole, rough terrain and combative patients can not be accounted for. However, poor lifting mechanics, poor posture while sitting, inactivity, lack of flexibility, insufficient strength and balance, and poor nutrition are all easily preventable and modifiable risks.
Upon entering the public safety ranks we all had to undergo some form of strength testing to meet the requirements of the job. Some systems have rigorous and stringent standards while others apply just enough testing to keep the insurance premiums down. I have spoken with many the Medic (I work on the EMS side of the house) who passed the tests (barely) and never exercised a day past that. Most in public safety scoff at the idea of annual re-testing to maintain fitness standards. Yet some of the most advanced public safety and Police systems in the world require strict fitness and performance testing and re-testing. This of course brings up the argument of what happens when you don't pass the test / re-test, but if you constantly maintain a level of basic strength and fitness this should not be an issue.
So why do most medics fear and laugh at trying to not become a statistic, or worse, a patient? Part of the blame must lay with our reactive, "it won't happen to me mindset," while the rest of the blame is upon society itself. If every medic in this country exercised for 30 minutes prior to, during, or after their shift, at least 5 days a week, we would see a substantial decrease in injuries and quite a bit of weight loss. Then, if we Medics would add in some simple stretching during the shift, we would now be getting paid to exercise and not just paid to sleep, and the injury rate would plummet.
A few shifts ago a co-worker asked me for some shoulder exercises. It seems that he injured it while stepping down from the truck. Of course, he went to the doctor and the X-rays were negative, so obviously -- no injury, back to work!
I showed him two simple stretches and three shoulder exercises, and last shift when I saw him again he reported almost no pain with any movements. I believe that we all try to make exercise harder and more intimidating than it needs to be. Simple is usually effective and less is generally more. But keep one thing in mind: there are thousands of "gym scientists" out there -- you know the big guy or pretty fit girl with the gifted genetics who seems to know everything about exercise. Run away from these people. They are one of the sole reasons that bad, unsafe gym exercise will not die and go away. Big arms and hard pects do not denote fitness, just muscle imbalances. All they know is what they have done before and they will not ever learn from their mistakes, but are more than happy to pass those mistakes on to you.
Make the time to be proactive -- do not be afraid to be the trendsetter. We all have to begin somewhere. Empower yourself and your co-workers to be proactive and fit. Hopefully as the insurance premiums drop from lower injury rates, the salaries for all the healthy and fit Medics will increase.
Spine Program: Stabilization
Resistance: Body Wt.
Sets: 2
Repetitions: 10-15
Tempo: 3-5-2 (Eccentric, Isometric, Concentric)
Hold Time: 5 seconds. Progress to 10 sec.
Preparation
Movement
- Brace your abdominals and retract the cervical spine. (Neutral spine position)
- Slowly raise and extend one arm and the opposite leg. (lock -- elbow and knee) (Hold for 5 seconds)
- Return to the start position and repeat on the opposite side.
Tips:
- Do not rotate during movement
Progression
- Use an unstable surface
- Progress hold time. (isometric)
