Relationship between the Performance in a Maximum Effort Test for Lifeguards and the Time Spent in a Water Rescue

Do Longer Fins Improve Ocean Rescues? A Comprehensive Investigation into Lifeguard Performance and Physiological Impact

Coastal environments present dynamic challenges necessitating rapid and efficient responses during aquatic emergencies. Lifeguards, as pivotal links in the intervention chain, rely on various tools, with rescue time being paramount. The choice of fins, specifically long versus short ones, plays a critical role in optimizing lifeguard performance during rescues. This randomized cross-over study explores the impact of flipper size on ocean rescues, employing a sample of 14 lifeguards. Long fins (LFs) and short fins (SFs) were compared in terms of rescue time (RT) and physiological load (PL). Tests included ocean rescues without fins (R), with LF (R-LF), and with SF (R-SF). Variables recorded encompassed swim approach time, tow-in time, overall rescue time, perceived exertion rates (RPEs), and post-rescue lactate concentration. Long fins demonstrated superior performance in swim approach and tow-in times compared to both short fins and no fins (p < 0.001). Overall rescue time favored long fins significantly (p < 0.001), indicating their efficiency in practical ocean rescue scenarios. Physiologically, long fins induced lower perceived exertion in arms (p = 0.033) compared to short fins. Lactate concentrations post-rescue revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05). This study demonstrates that long fins significantly improve lifeguard performance during ocean rescues, reducing rescue times and alleviating arm fatigue.

A Comparison between Three Different Techniques Considering Quality Skills, Fatigue and Hand Pain during a Prolonged Infant Resuscitation: A Cross-Over Study with Lifeguards

The aim of the study was to compare the quality of CPR (Q-CPR), as well as the perceived fatigue and hand pain in a prolonged infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed by lifeguards using three different techniques. A randomized crossover simulation study was used to compare three infant CPR techniques: the two-finger technique (TF); the two-thumb encircling technique (TTE) and the two-thumb-fist technique (TTF). 58 professional lifeguards performed three tests in pairs during a 20-min period of CPR. The rescuers performed compressions and ventilations in 15:2 cycles and changed their roles every 2 min. The variables of analysis were CPR quality components, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and hand pain with numeric rating scale (NRS). All three techniques showed high Q-CPR results (TF: 86 ± 9%/TTE: 88 ± 9%/TTF: 86 ± 16%), and the TTE showed higher values than the TF (p = 0.03). In the RPE analysis, fatigue was not excessive with any of the three techniques (values 20 min between 3.2 for TF, 2.4 in TTE and 2.5 in TTF on a 10-point scale). TF reached a higher value in RPE than TTF in all the intervals analyzed (p < 0.05). In relation to NRS, TF showed significantly higher values than TTE and TTF (NRS minute 20 = TF 4.7 vs. TTE 2.5 & TTF 2.2; p < 0.001). In conclusion, all techniques have been shown to be effective in high-quality infant CPR in a prolonged resuscitation carried out by lifeguards. However, the two-finger technique is less efficient in relation to fatigue and hand pain compared with two-thumb technique (TF vs. TTF, p = 0.01).