Abstract
Background: Postural stability and cognitive performance are challenged in firefighters. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the impact of 7-day ketone supplementation on postural stability, cognitive performance, and muscular activation before and after a physiological workload. Methods: Nine professional firefighters completed two experimental sessions (pre- and post-workload) in a counterbalanced, double-blind design. Participants ingested either a ketone salt (KS) or placebo (PLA) daily for seven days, and had an eighth ingestion 30 min prior to testing. Each experimental testing consisted of maximal voluntary contractions (MVIC) for four muscles (knee flexors—BF, extensor—VM, ankle dorsiflexors—TA, and plantar flexors—MG) using electromyography and postural stability testing (eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), and eyes open-dual-task using a FitLight™ system (EOT)), before (pre-workload) and after (post-workload) a simulated physiological workload. The workload consisted of 35 min steady state exercise at 60% of peak oxygen consumption wearing firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE). Results: Significant differences were limited to time effects (pre-workload vs. post-workload), with no differences between groups (KS vs. PLA). Significantly lower muscle activity in VM, TA, and MG during MVIC, greater postural sway and muscle activity in BF during EC and EOT, and slower response time during EOT were evident post-workload. Conclusions: A 7-day ketone supplementation does not impact postural stability, muscle activity, and cognitive tasks, but a fatiguing workload causes significant performance reduction.
Highlights
Due to the requirements of their profession, firefighters are routinely placed in high-risk situations where the probabilities for occupational injuries to be sustained are increased [1,2]
Results of variance was performed for all dependent EMG (mean and peak during maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC), mean, root mean square (RMS), Significant differences in the biomechanical measures were limited to the time main effect, DISP-AP, vs. post-workload), no postural significant stability differences(DISP-ML, identified between the EA, groupSV, and LEN)
The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of ingesting ketone salt (KS) on postural stability in findings of this study suggest that the ingestion of KS did not impact postural stability, muscle single and dual-task and muscle before differences and afterbetween a physical workload
Summary
Due to the requirements of their profession, firefighters are routinely placed in high-risk situations where the probabilities for occupational injuries to be sustained are increased [1,2]. The firefighter’s PPE, even though it serves a protective function, has been reported to cause reductions in balance performance due to added physiological energy expenditure and muscular fatigue [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Similar reductions in postural stability in firefighters have been reported due to muscular fatigue resulting from simulated physical workloads that negatively affect the sensory and motor components of the postural control system [7,8,9,10]. The cognitive and physical task of firefighting is a dual-task paradigm, where one of the tasks may negatively impact the other and can lead to an increased likelihood of injuries [11]. The workload consisted of 35 min steady state exercise at 60% of peak oxygen consumption wearing firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE)
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