Normative Values for Health-Related Physical Fitness in First-Year Police Officers

Abstract

Štefan, L, Kasović, M, and Culej, M. Normative values for health-related physical fitness in first-year police officers. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2530-2535, 2022-The main aim of the study was to develop normative values for health-related physical fitness tests in first-year police officers. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 773 police officers aged 19-28 years old (mean age ± SD = 22 ± 3 years, 34% women). Health-related physical fitness included: (a) polygon backwards (agility), (b) standing broad jump (explosive power of lower extremities), (c) sit-and-reach test (flexibility), and (d) 2.4 km run (aerobic capacity). In addition, maximal oxygen uptake (V̇ o2 max) was calculated. Sex- and age-specific centile smoothed curves for the 20th, 40th, 60 th , and 80th percentiles using Cole's LMS method were created. The results showed that men performed better in all health-related physical fitness tests ( p < 0.001), compared with women. The median values for polygon backwards, standing broad jump, sit-and-reach test, 2.4 km run and V̇ o2 max were 8 seconds, 210, 15 cm, 721 seconds and 49 mlO 2 ·kg -1 ·min -1 in men and 10 seconds, 165, 10 cm, 915 seconds and 39 mlO 2 ·kg -1 ·min -1 in women. No significant interaction between age and health-related physical fitness was observed. This study provides sex- and age-specific normative values for health-related physical fitness in police officers. Findings from this study may be used in detecting a group of police officers who have lower levels of physical fitness. Thus, policies aiming to enhance the level of physical fitness could be implemented within the system.