For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS TH AND WELLNESS By John Amtmann Many arborists make the mistake of assuming that the work we per- form will improve our fitness,when instead we should make the effort to stay fit so that we can continue to work efficiently and effectively in and with trees.A practical approach to fitness conditioning for arborists will help prevent injuries while fitting into the arborist's busy schedule. The fitness components that a comprehensive fitness program should address include cardiorespiratory fitness,musculoskeletal fitness and mus- culoskeletal flexibility. In order to make physical fitness improvements, some basic principles of exercise physiology must be followed.The prin- ciple of overload states that the system targeted (cardiovascular or Musculoskeletal flexibility is something that is often ignored. Lack of flexibility in the lower back and posterior thigh regions may be associated with an increased risk for the development of chronic low back pain, and may hinder performance of climbing and arbor skills. 20 Arbor Age / September 2012 musculoskeletal) must be exposed to a controlled stress that the body is not accustomed to in order to improve fitness. The arborist profession requires good physical fitness,and the activity required on the job will improve physical fitness to a degree.But contin- ued improvements in physical fitness as a result of tree work would only come if intensity was high enough to cause an overload on a consistent basis,and this is not a guarantee because of the varied and prolonged nature of tree work.So,well-planned supplemental fitness training is required to improve fitness for the arborist,and this improvement in fitness will allow us to make it through the work day with less overall physical stress. Just as your arbor skills improve through experience and practice,your stamina will improve as overall strength and fitness improves.Any sub- maximal activity (working or exercising below your maximum effort), which is common throughout the arborist's work day, becomes physi- cally easier with overall fitness improvements.Think about it:If you work at an average intensity of five units of strength throughout the day when your maximal strength and endurance is 10,then working at that same intensity becomes proportionately easier when your maximal strength and endurance is increased to, say,12 units of strength.When working at your normal intensity becomes easier,you'll be less likely to sustain injury, and you'll be more likely to have the necessary energy or strength to deal with unforeseen and unpredictable events. For cardiorespiratory fitness,the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends activities that can be sustained for a prolonged period of time, including walking, jogging, stationary cycling, rope- jumping, or swimming,3 to 5 days per week for 20 to 60 minutes per session.Exercise intensity should be anywhere between 60 percent and 90 percent of maximum heart rate.The simplest way to predict maximum heart rate is to subtract age from 220. Multiply this, the age predicted maximum heart rate,by 55 percent and 90 percent to calculate the lower and upper limits of target heart rate.See Table 1 for an example of how to calculate target heart rate range for a 50-year-old individual. www.arborage.com