Work-Related Fatigue: Relationship Between Perceived and Performance Fatigability in Career Firefighters.

Firefighter work-related fatigue can be measured by objective physical performance or subjective perceptions of fatigue; however, the two fatigue constructs are not related. Excess adiposity is common among career firefighters and negatively impacts performance fatigability. Objective: The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the relationship between perceived work-related fatigue and performance fatigability, and (2) assess the impact of percent body fat (%BF) on perceived fatigue constructs in career firefighters. Methods: Thirty-nine career firefighters completed body composition testing, the Occupational Fatigue Exhaustion Recovery (OFER15) scale assessing three subscales of work-related fatigue (acute fatigue, chronic fatigue, and inter-shift recovery), and maximal leg extensor isometric strength testing prior to and following an isotonic fatiguing protocol. Results: Performance fatigability was not associated with any of the OFER15 perceived work-related fatigue variables (P ≥ 0.513). Greater %BF was associated with greater %∆ peak torque (r = −0.41, P = 0.010) but none of the OFER15 perceived work-related fatigue variables (P ≥ 0.638). Conclusions: Performance fatigability was not associated with OFER15 perceived work-related fatigue, and greater adiposity negatively impacted performance fatigability but not perceived fatigability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]