Health and Fitness of Off-Road Riding – a scientific study Presented by: Jo-Anne Farquhar, COHV Director of Communications & Public Affairs COHV . CA CVHR . CA COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Presentation Overview • Study purpose • Study overview • Aims and findings of each phase • Conclusions • Next Steps COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Study Purpose Describe the physical demands of off-road vehicle riding and determine if participation is (or could be) associated with fitness and health benefits Evaluate fitness and health adaptations from a training program riding all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles as an exercise stimulus COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Background • study conducted by York University o Similar studies conducted of NHL players and firefighters • results were peer-reviewed, all study components subject to ethics review board • findings published in international academic journals • study supported by the Canadian Off- Highway Vehicle Distributors Council, the All Terrain Quad Council of Canada, The Motorcyclists Confederation of Canada and the Government of Nova Scotia COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Study Overview • Fall 2006 Pilot Project • Ontario Federation of Trail Riders Phase 1 • Physiological Characterization • Psycho-social Phase 2 Physical Demands of • Testing of habitual riders Riding • Training of new riders Training Adaptations COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 1 • nationwide survey involving 310 participant to determine the characteristics of a “typical” rider and of a “typical” ride • information was then used as the basis to determine the health and fitness impacts of off-road riding • Characterize selected fitness and health attributes of two types of habitual recreational off-road vehicle riders – All- Terrain Vehicles (ATV), Off-Road Motorcycles (ORM) • Explore differences among recreational off-road riders with reference to vehicle type, age and gender • Compare fitness and health of recreational off-road riders to population norms and clinical health standards COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 1 • Rider Perceptions Characterization • most rides involve “moderate” exertion – some terrains represent a “vigorous” exertion; • motorcycle riders experience higher levels in exertion and frequency. ATV riders experience longer durations; • significant differences in ride characteristics (exertion, frequency, duration and physical demand) occur with the age of the rider, the length of the rider’s season, the number of hours the rider rides during a month and the number of years of experience of the rider; COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 1 Characterization • Rider Perceptions • motorcycle riders wear more safety gear and carry maintenance and support equipment. ATV riders wear less safety gear and the machine carries the maintenance and ride support equipment – this creates a greater potential physical demand on motorcycle riders • Information in this study indicated that 77% of rural residents have access to off-road vehicles. These findings demonstrate that ORV riding is a recreational activity that is appealing, readily available and a great opportunity for rural community residents to increase their physical activity levels COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Physical Demands of • Testing of habitual riders Riding • 128 riders • divided into age groups – 16-29, 30-49, 50+ • testing the physiological (heart rate, cardiovascular and muscle strength, oxygen consumption, etc.) demands of riding • riders wore special helmets and equipment to monitor and measure physical demands • compared results to demands of other recreational activities COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Physical Demands of • Physiological findings Riding Cardiovascular and muscle strength: • moderate-intensity cardiovascular demand and fatigue-inducing muscular strength challenges, similar to other self-paced recreational sports such as golf, rock-climbing and alpine skiing Oxygen consumption (indicator of physical work): • increased by 3.5 and 6 times the resting values for ATV and ORM riding respectively – moderate intensity activity which is in line with Canadian physical activity recommendations COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Physical Demands of • Physiological findings Riding Heart rate measurements: • considering heart-rate alone – off-road riding can be categorized as “hard exercise” (this may be intensified through adrenalin and/or heat stress) off- road riding requires “a true physiological demand that would be expected to have a beneficial effect on health and fitness according to Canada’s current physical activity recommendations” - Burr, J., Jamnik, V., and Gledhill, N. “Physiological Demands of Off -Road Vehicle Riding,” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (July 2010) COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Physical Demands • Psycho-social findings of Riding (quality of life) • purpose – explore quality of life issues of off-road riders • secondary purpose – compare levels of mental and physical functioning quality of life of recreational off-road riders to Canadian population norms • findings compared off-road riding to non- traditional forms of physical activity participation, such as video-based exercise, martial arts and adventure sports • off-road riders also have higher Mental Component Summary scores (measures which reflect mental status) than the non-riding normative Canadian population COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 • Psycho-social findings Physical Demands (quality of life) of Riding based on Mental Component Summary scores, riders are “expected to have lower levels of stress and depression…and a higher overall life satisfaction ” - Burr, J., Jamnik, V., and Gledhill, N. “ Health-related Quality of Life of Habitual Recreational Off-Road Vehicle Riders,” Health & Fitness Journal of Canada 3.1 (2010) COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Health Benefit Study Training • Training of new riders Adaptations • purpose – determine the fitness and health effects of a structured program of off-road riding on non-riders • secondary purpose – determine if differences exist between vehicle types and riding frequency • Measure the ambient levels of carbon monoxide exposure during group rides and discuss potential ill-effects of exposure on cardiovascular and respiratory health COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Health Benefit Study Training • Training of new riders Adaptations 58 participants: • ATV 2 days/week (n=11) • ORM 2 days/week (n=12) • ATV 4 days/week (n=11) • ORM 4 days/week (n=12) • control group (status quo) (n=12) • Aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, body composition, clinical health and quality of life (QOL) were compared at baseline and following approximately 48 training hours over 6 weeks of training COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Health Benefit Study Training • Findings Adaptations • consistent participation in off-road riding is an effective mode of alternative physical activity for decreasing heaviness, increasing muscle mass and improving endurance in the lower body • riding 2 days/week has the same impact on musculoskeletal and aerobic fitness training outcome • Ambient carbon monoxide levels while riding (<30 ppm) were within safe exposure guidelines • Positive adaptations can be gained from a training program using off-road vehicle riding as the exercise stimulus COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Health Benefit Study Training • Findings Adaptations • in all riding groups, there were improvements in blood pressure, fasting glucose, subcutaneous adiposity, body mass, waist circumference and isometric leg endurance COHV . CA CVHR . CA
Phase 2 Conclusion Training • Findings Adaptations “The results of this study confirm that off -road riding is a useful alternative physical activity modality for improving health-related fitness and QOL (quality of life) and could have substantial population health effects and health care savings given the high participation rates in North America” - Burr, J., Jamnik, V., and Gledhill, N. “Physiological fitness and health adaptations from purposeful training using off-road vehicles,” European Journal of Applied Physiology (December 2010) COHV . CA CVHR . CA
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