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- Title
Energy expenditure in US automotive technicians and occupation-specific cardiac rehabilitation.
- Authors
Adams, J.; Jordan, S.; Spencer, K.; Belanger, J.; Cheng, D.; Shock, T.; Karcher, J.
- Abstract
Background The standard exercise protocol for patients in a traditional cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) programme may not be adequate for preparing manual workers for a safe return to work, as these activities bear little resemblance to the physical movements and force exertion required in most industrial jobs. Aims To measure the energy expenditure as metabolic equivalents (METs) required for automotive technicians, to compare this MET level with that normally attained in traditional cardiac rehab programmes and to suggest cardiac rehab exercises for automotive technicians based on specificity of training. Methods Automotive technicians who volunteered to participate had their MET levels measured while they performed a defined series of work tasks in the service department of an automobile dealership. Their daily walking distance was also determined. Results Thirty-six of 95 eligible subjects participated; a response rate of 38%. Mean peak MET level was 7.1, less than the 8 METs target training goal often used in traditional cardiac rehab programmes. However, patients’ outcome MET levels in cardiac rehab are usually measured by a treadmill stress test, whereas the subjects reached 7.1 METs while performing work tasks. The subjects walked an average of 5 km during a normal workday. Conclusions Because MET level measurements are work specific, automotive technicians in a cardiac rehab programme should strive to reach and maintain a level of >7 METs while performing specific training exercises that mimic the work tasks they must do throughout the day. They can also benefit from traditional endurance training such as treadmill walking.
- Subjects
UNITED States; OCCUPATIONAL diseases; CARDIAC rehabilitation; CALORIC expenditure; RETURN to work programs; INDUSTRIAL hygiene; HEALTH outcome assessment
- Publication
Occupational Medicine, 2013, Vol 63, Issue 2, p103
- ISSN
0962-7480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqs192