ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2020 July-August;179(7-8):452-8

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.04140-8

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Differences in psychophysiological parameters of lifeguards performing water surface and 5.5 m deep underwater rescues

Dimitrios LOUPOS ✉

Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

BACKGROUND: Although all the existing studies in relevant bibliography focus on rescues on the surface of the water, there is none concerning underwater/submerged victim rescues. The aim of this research was to determine probable psychophysiological differences between a surface and an underwater at 5.5m below the surface, rescue.
METHODS: Nineteen male lifeguards, with a 1 to 2 year experience, age 19.7±1.1, (weight 71.5±4.5 kg, height 1.77±4 cm) took part in the study. The lifeguards, in random order, performed two different rescues: a surface and an underwater one. Before every rescue multidimensional state anxiety was assessed using the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) Martens et al. After the rescue, a blood sample was taken for the determination of lactic acid concentration and a perceptual effort ratings scale (Borg 1982) was filled out by the lifeguards.
RESULTS: The results indicated statistically significant differences. The second 50 m (1.35.5 vs. 1.47.2 min) the total rescue time (2.20.0 vs. 2.41.7min), the cognitive (14.5 vs. 17.1) and somatic anxiety (12.8 vs. 15.1), the perceptual effort (14.4 vs. 16.3) and the lactic acid (7.8 vs. 9 mmol/L) of the underwater rescue, were larger than the ones of the surface rescue.
CONCLUSIONS: Underwater rescues require better mental and physical preparedness a fact that makes specific underwater training techniques as necessary as lifeguard and fitness training.

KEY WORDS: Physical exertion; Lactic acid; Swimming