Author(s): CHEN, C.L., LI, C., WANG, H., CHANG, H., Institution: HUNGKUANG UNIVERSITY , Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 2246

INTRODUCTION:
The firefighting profession encompasses three primary tasks: emergency rescue (ER), emergency medical service (EMS), and conventional fire suppression (FS). Firefighters (FFs), due to the nature of their work and training, experience greater demands on their physical fitness. Strains, sprains, and muscular pain account for 56% of all non-fireground injuries. Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal injury among firefighters, often correlated with heavy physical labor involving tasks such as carrying heavy objects and rapid twisting and bending of the waist. Eighty-six percent of American career FFs have reported a history of LBP, with 55% experiencing current LBP. In a survey conducted at a South Korean fire station, 41.5% of FFs experienced work-related LBP within a year, and 12.3% of FFs reported chronic LBP. Additionally, more than 60% of firefighters in Taiwan annually experience pain and discomfort in the lower back. These injuries may result in significant lost time and medical expense. Previous studies have shown that heel lift insoles can effectively reduce the angle of trunk inclination and lumbar spine shear forces during squatting. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of heel lift insoles on the functional ability, mobility, and pain perception in firefighters with LBP.
METHODS:
This study recruited 16 firefighters who self-reported LBP and randomly divided them into two groups: one group received heel lift insoles as intervention, while the other group served as the control. The intervention with the heel lift insoles lasted for 4 weeks. Participants work shifts were scheduled for 8 to 12 hours per day. Each participant was required to work for at least 10 days within the 4-week period and to wear the heel lift insoles for a minimum of 6 hours daily. The range of motion of trunk inclination, hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint was measured while participants were squatting, and the Oswestry Disability Index and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain were measured before and after the 2-week and 4-week insole intervention. Mixed-design two-way ANOVA was used to determine the significant difference in measured parameters between the two groups.
RESULTS:
The results of the study indicated that there were no significant differences in trunk inclination, hip, knee, ankle range of motion, Oswestry Disability Index, and visual analogue scale of pain between the control group and the intervention group after the intervention with heel lift insoles for two or four weeks. Additionally, no significant differences were observed within the two groups.
CONCLUSION:
Short–term intervention of heel lift insoles do not have significance in improving trunk inclination, hip, knee, ankle range of motion, Oswestry Disability Index, and visual analogue scale of pain on firefighters while performing tasks.