Int J Sports Med 2001; 22(5): 373-378
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-15650
Orthopedics and Clinical Science

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Work-Related Injuries From Mandatory Fitness Training Among Swedish Firemen

M. de Loës, B. R. Jansson
  • Karolinska Institutet, Dept of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

A considerable amount of employees incur injuries in professions with mandatory on-duty fitness training. The training is necessary for maintaining a good health status, physical condition and strength in professions requiring such qualities. Injuries in Swedish firemen from on-duty fitness training between 1992 and 1998 were selected retrospectively from the Information System of Occupational Injuries (ISA) at the National Board of Occupational Safety and Health and, if having caused a sick-leave exceeding 2 weeks, to the Labour Market Insurance (AMF Insurance). The latter comprised injuries from 1995 only. During the seven-year period 1468 injuries from fitness training occurred in male firemen. With an estimated 147 h per man and year the injury incidence was 2.6 per 10 000 h of exposure. The mean number of days of absence from work was 24.1 days (SD 39.8). In 1995, the mean cost per injury for medical treatment was close to 7000 Euro and for production loss almost 4500 Euro. By far the major part of the injuries, 75 %, occurred during team and contact sports (primarily floorball and soccer) and this sport category also accounted for 83 % of the medical costs and 78 % of the costs for production loss. It is suggested that a restriction of team and contact sports as mandatory on-duty fitness training for firemen should be tested and evaluated concerning the injury incidence.

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Dr. med. M. de Loës

Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences
Division of Social Medicine

Norrbacka Building
SE-171 76 Stockholm
Sweden


Phone: Phone:+46 (8) 517 77 964

Fax: Fax:+46 (8) 30 73 51

Email: E-mail:Marianne.de.Loes@phs.ki.se