The Impact of Formal Strength and Conditioning on the Fitness of Law Enforcement Recruits: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Research involving law enforcement populations has suggested better fitness could enhance job task performance and reduce injuries. Academy training should lead to improvements in recruit fitness. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a strength and conditioning program on fitness among law enforcement recruits.

Job-Specific Physical Fitness Changes Measured by the Work Sample Test Battery within Deputy Sheriffs between Training Academy and their First Patrol Assignment.

Deputy Sheriffs need to exhibit job-specific fitness throughout their occupational lifespan. This study evaluated job-specific fitness changes measured by the Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) in deputy sheriffs from training academy to patrol school (refresher program completed before first patrol assignment). WSTB data for 34 deputy sheriffs (28 males, 6 females) was retrospectively analyzed.

Patient and surgical prognostic factors for inpatient functional recovery following THA and TKA: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The introduction of enhanced recovery pathways has demonstrated both patient and organisational benefits. However, enhanced recovery pathways implemented for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) vary between health-care organisations, as do their measures of success, particularly patient-related outcomes. Despite inpatient functional recovery being essential for safe and timely hospital discharge, there is currently no gold standard method for its assessment, and the research undertaken to establish prognostic factors is limited.

Ageing well: Pilot evaluation of a dual-task training program in a rural community.

Objective: This pilot trial examined the feasibility and effectiveness of "Ageing Well," a community-based program for improving cognitive skills and mobility of rural older people.

Design And Setting: The non-randomised, wait-list-controlled pilot trial was conducted at a regional NSW university clinic.

Participants: Twenty-three community-dwelling adults aged 60+ who had begun to experience a decline in their physical or cognitive abilities or both.

Balance and agility training does not always decrease lower limb injury risks: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects on lower limb injury rates of adding structured balance and agility exercises to the 80-day basic training programme of army recruits. A blocked (stratified), cluster-randomised controlled trial was employed, with one intervention group (IG) and one control group (CG), in which 732 male and 47 female army recruits from the Australian Army Recruit Training Centre participated through to analysis. The IG performed specified balance and agility exercises in addition to normal physical training.

Injury surveillance and systematic investigation identify a rubber matting hazard for anterior cruciate ligament rupture on an obstacle course.

In June 1998, six unexpected anterior cruciate ligament ruptures within 12 months were detected by routine injury surveillance in a cohort of Australian Army recruits. A systematic investigative process was used to identify the probable cause. Review of the case histories, followed by on-site assessment of the common hazard, revealed that all ruptures occurred as recruits twisted or landed on newly laid rubber matting at one obstacle course.

Rubber matting on an obstacle course causes anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and its removal eliminates them.

In June 1998, six unexpected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures within 12 months were detected by routine injury surveillance in a cohort of Australian Army recruits. Local investigation, reported separately as a Case Report in this issue, suggested the cause to be an excessive coefficient of friction between rubber boot soles and newly laid rubber matting on one obstacle course, creating excessive knee torques. The matting was removed progressively, but not before two more ruptures occurred on one remaining section.