Are Indoor Cycling Instructors Riding Their Way to Vocal Injury? Acute Effects of a Single Class on Measures of Voice Production

Occupational Health-Related Problems among Portuguese Fitness Instructors

BACKGROUND

The fitness sector has experienced significant expansion, with fitness instructors (FIs) playing a pivotal role. Given the demands of their profession, understanding their health profile is crucial. This study's purpose is to explore the prevalence of fitness instructors' occupational health-related problems.

METHODS

A questionnaire covering sociodemographic, occupational, and health-related items was administered. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests, Spearman's rho correlations, and logistic regressions, were conducted.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine FIs reported occupational health-related problems, with the majority occurring during instruction (66.1%), being muscular (32.2%), and knee (15.3%), the most common type and localization. Significant statistical differences were observed between injured and non-injured FIs, including sex (p = 0.012), years as an FI (p = 0.001), weekly days worked (p = 0.039), and daily hours worked (p = 0.013). Weak negative (-0.284 - -0.362) statistically significant correlations were found between health problems; weight; height; main activity; and FIs in the workplace. Logistic regressions identified significant models showing that having a sport/physical exercise background and practicing it regularly were less likely to report bursitis (OR 0.018; p = 0.020) and hip injuries (OR 0.026; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of FIs reported occupational-related health problems, predominantly musculoskeletal injuries. Sociodemographic, personal, and occupational factors appear to influence the prevalence of these health problems.

A Review of Factors Associated with Voice Problems in the Fitness Instructor Population

There is a high prevalence of reported dysphonia symptomology in the fitness instructor population. This is concerning as these reported symptoms of dysphonia, aphonia, and vocal fatigue can significantly compromise quality of life. The purpose of this review is to explore key factors that may contribute to voice problems in the fitness instructor population. Voicing with concurrent phonation and exercise may be influenced by (1) the increased cardiovascular requirement during exercise, (2) the increased cognitive load associated with dual tasking, (3) the altered hydration state associated with prolonged exercise, and (4) the phonatory dose associated with continued voicing with loud background music. This manuscript will explore the literature on these key factors (ie, phonatory dose, dehydration, metabolic bioenergetics, cognitive load, and psychosocial stress) as they pertain to fitness instructors.