Aptidão física e desempenho de tiro sob estresse: evidências de uma simulação de confronto armado e resgate da guarda municipal (Brasil)

Abstract

Operational police work is one of the most stressful and dangerous professions, especially for those working in operational roles exposed to armed confrontations. Being in good physical condition and maintaining precision and accuracy in shooting can make a difference in confronting violence. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the level of physical conditioning of municipal guards interferes with ballistic performance (precision, accuracy, and total score) under conditions of low and high physical stress simulating an armed confrontation and victim rescue. Methods: Nineteen municipal guards from the city of Araucária/PR participated in this study (37.2 ± 7.6 years; 1.74 ± 0.07 m; 86.2 ± 11.1 kg; 95.4 ± 87.2 months of service). Each participant performed two shooting conditions at a shooting range: (i) low physical stress (walking course, no crawling, no mannequin rescue, and no time pressure) and (ii) high physical stress (zigzag running, crawling, mannequin rescue ≈30 kg). In both conditions, they fired 10 live rounds at 7 m against fixed targets (humanoid silhouette). The two conditions were performed on the same day in a random and balanced manner, with an interval of ~60 min between conditions. One week after the shooting, anthropometric tests (weight, height) and physical fitness tests were applied: Functional Movement Screen – FMS and vertical jump (both in uniform vs. With a tracksuit); dominant and non-dominant handgrip strength, Léger test, agility test – Shuttle run (both only with a tracksuit). Results: The paired t-test revealed a significant worsening in shooting performance under high physical stress, with lower precision (1.60 ± 0.52 vs. 0.65 ± 0.43 cm; p < 0.05), higher accuracy (11.21 ± 2.57 vs. 2.29 ± 4.78 cm; p < 0.05) and a reduction in the total score (33.16 ± 9.30 vs. 43.16 ± 7.37 pts; p < 0.05) compared to low stress. Physical exertion increased the subjective perception of effort (PSEBorg: 16.16 ± 2.77 vs. 6.32 ± 0.67; p < 0.05), post-test heart rate (130.63 ± 17.67 vs. 121.32 ± 14.88 bpm; p = < 0.05) and reduced task execution time (101.26 ± 10.49 sec. vs. 138.05 ± 15.73 s; p < 0.01), confirming the physiological impact of the task on shooting performance. Correlations indicated that, under high stress, longer service time (r = -0.504; p < 0.05), greater agility (r = -0.602; p < 0.05), and lower handgrip strength (r = -0.561; p < 0.05) were associated with better shooting performance (greater accuracy and score). Conversely, under low stress, higher VO2 (r = -0.583; p < 0.01) was associated with better shooting performance. Shorter Léger time (r = -0.591; p < 0.01) correlated with better accuracy and higher scores (r = 0.590 - 0.604; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Physical conditioning influences ballistic performance (shooting) differently depending on the level of physical stress applied. Under high exertion, excessive force can impair fine motor control, decreasing shooting performance, while aerobic endurance favors performance in less strenuous situations. These findings reinforce the importance of training programs that integrate strength, psychophysiological control, and performance under high physical demands, aiming to improve operational performance while safeguarding the lives of public safety officers and third parties.