Abstract
Law enforcement officers (LEOs) perform intense and unpredictable physical exertions resulting from their occupational tasks. Optimal movement quality is beneficial for the performance of these tasks and for decreasing injury risk. The Modified Landing Error Scoring System (M-LESS) is a screening tool that helps identify poor movement patterns that could raise the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in mobility, stability, and muscular endurance across LEOs categorized into low-risk (LR), moderate-risk (MR), or high-risk (HR) for injury based on M-LESS scores. METHODS: Twenty-two active-duty male LEOs (40.5 ± 9.4 y, 178.5 ± 6.9 cm, 93.5 ± 11.7 kg) voluntarily completed a vertical jump (VJ), push-up test (PU), upper-quadrant and lower-quadrant Y- balance test (YBT-UQ and YBT-LQ, respectively), sit-and-reach test (SR), ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ADF), and body composition test using skinfold measures (BC) as part of a voluntary testing session. Participants also self-reported frequency of strength training per week, and height and weight which were used to calculate body mass index (BMI). The M-LESS was performed using standardized procedures, and participants were consequently classified into either the LR, MR, or HR group (using scores of 0–3, 4-6, and 7+, respectively). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to compare results across the LESS groups using SPSS version 30 (IBM Corp) with an alpha significance of p < 0.05. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the M-LESS groups for any outcome measures (p > 0.05). However, the HR group had a higher BMI and body fat percentage compared to LR individuals (BMI = 30.15 ± 3.88 vs. 27.71 ± 2.76 kg/m², BC = 19.70 ± 3.87 vs.18.53 ± 2.73%). VJ and PU scores decreased as risk level increased, and YBT-UQ, YBT-LQ, and ADF scores for the dominant and non-dominant sides were more preferable (higher) in the LR group compared to the HR group. CONCLUSION: While the differences were not statistically significant, the trends indicate that LEOs with higher M-LESS scores had poorer stability, mobility, and body composition metrics. These results emphasize the importance of movement screening to identify potential performance issues and inform targeted training programs for LEOs.
Recommended Citation
McCrea, Nicole; Pottorf, Ofra; Leek, Cristina; Ammazzalorso, Andrew; Hirsch, Jessie; Rose, Lana; Lhakey, Sonam; and Sell, Katie
(2025)
"Comparison of Physical Fitness Measures and Injury Risk in Law Enforcement Officers,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 15:
Iss.
7, Article 14.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol15/iss7/14