Open AccessSports safety matting diminishes cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality and increases rescuer perceived exertion
Author(s) -
Thomas Kingston,
Nicholas B. Tiller,
Elle Partington,
Mukhtar H. Ahmed,
Gareth Jones,
Mark I. Johnson,
Nigel Callender
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0254800
Subject(s) - cardiopulmonary resuscitation , exertion , medicine , perceived exertion , compliance (psychology) , rating of perceived exertion , physical therapy , heart rate , physical medicine and rehabilitation , resuscitation , blood pressure , emergency medicine , psychology , social psychology
Objectives Compliant surfaces beneath a casualty diminish the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in clinical environments. To examine this issue in a sporting environment, we assessed chest compression quality and rescuer exertion upon compliant sports safety matting. Methods Twenty-seven advanced life support providers volunteered (13 male/14 female; mass = 79.0 ± 12.5 kg; stature = 1.77 ± 0.09 m). Participants performed 5 × 2 min, randomized bouts of continuous chest compressions on a mannequin, upon five surfaces: solid floor; low-compliance matting; low-compliance matting with a backboard; high-compliance matting; high-compliance matting with a backboard. Measures included chest compression depth and rate, percentage of adequate compressions, and rescuer heart rate and perceived exertion. Results Chest compression depth and rate were significantly lower upon high-compliance matting relative to other surfaces ( p <0.05). The percentage of adequate compressions (depth ≥50 mm) was lowest upon high-compliance matting (40 ± 39%) versus low-compliance matting (60 ± 36%) and low-compliance matting with a backboard (59 ± 39%). Perceived exertion was significantly greater upon high-compliance matting versus floor, low-compliance matting, and low-compliance matting with a backboard ( p <0.05). Conclusion Providers of CPR should be alerted to the detrimental effects of compliant safety matting in a sporting environment and prepare to alter the targeted compression depth and rescuer rotation intervals accordingly.