Forestry work in the Italians alps: metabolic demand assessed by heart rate measurements

摘要

Objective: This research aims to: a) assess the energy expenditure during typical forestry activities; b) assess the actual workload of forestry work; c) define the eventual relationship between oxygen uptake (V(over dot)O-2) and heart rate during the studied working phases. Methods: Eleven healthy skilled forestry workers were studied. Using a portable device, oxygen uptake (V(over dot)O-2), carbon dioxide output (V(over dot)CO2), pulmonary ventilation ((V) over dot E) and heart rate (HR) were measured. The forestry work was divided into four phases: walking uphill, felling, limbing chain-sawing and complementary activities. A work time report was kept and in each phase a weighted average (WA) of all parameters was obtained. Results: Walking uphill, felling, limbing chain-sawing activities did not show significant statistical differences between each other and were classified as heavy activities (mean over dot(V) O-2 2.17 l min mean HR 157 beat min(-1)). The complementary activity was found to be less demanding and statistically differed in respect to the others (VO2 0.55 l min(-1), HR. 98 beat min(-1)). By the WA, the actual workload of forestry work resulted in a moderate to heavy optimal job (VO, and HR being 1.51 l min(-1) and 133.5 beat min(-1) respectively in a typical working day). Furthermore it was possible to set up a relationship between VO, and HR for the forestry work. Conclusions: Forestry activity can be classified as moderate to heavy -optimal. Finally, a good and linear correlation between VO, and HR proved to be an easy tool to evaluate the metabolic demand.