TRU MONTHLY UPDATE: AUG 21

Posted: Aug 20, 2021

Research with the Translational Simulation Collaborative (TSC)
The TRU recently teamed up with the Translational Simulation Collaborative (TSC) to pilot future research investigating stress responses in mission critical teams. Participants from the Gold Coast University Hospital Emergency Department worked through complex emergency simulated scenarios with various additional stressors, like intercom calls, distracted student doctors, and purposeful miscommunication, adding further challenges. Dr Victoria Brazil from the TSC ran the scenarios and post-action debrief while the TRU collected heart rate / heart rate variability and respiratory rate measures to inform basic levels of stress.

2021 #EndPJparalysis Global Online Summit
Dr Rob Orr recently presented at the 2021 #EndPJparalysis Global Online Summit which was hosted by none other than Professor Brian Dolan, OBE. Last year the 36-hour live event was watched in 15 countries with over 1,200 attendees. With an overarching theme of the negative impacts of deconditioning, generally within the elderly and hospital settings, Rob was asked to showcase how deconditioning can impact a well-trained population serving in tactical occupations.

Colin Tomes presents at the National Strength and Conditioning Conference
Doctor of Physiotherapy Alumnus, and current HDR student, Colin Tomes recently presented his work on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Monitoring for Specialist Police at the National Strength and Conditioning Conference in the USA. Colin was inundated with questions on this emerging use of HRV in specialist police. The presented poster is scheduled for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

 


Varsity College ASPIRE Athlete Development Program
Dr Rob Orr was recently invited back to Varsity College to present to students who are part of the College’s ASPIRE Athlete Development Program. The 12-14 year old students, who compete in various high-level sports, attended the session which focussed on ‘The Warrior Mindset’. Drawn from his experience as a Physical Training Instructor in the Australian Army and competing in international competitions across several sports and events, Rob discussed mindset approaches as part of long-term athlete development that can be used to achieve more in sport as well as academic work.

Tactical Conditioning Optimisation Course (TACOPS)
Over 30 delegates from the Singapore Army and Singapore Prisons Emergency Action Response (SPEAR) Force recently completed the TRU’s 3-day Tactical Conditioning Optimisation Course. Dr Rob Orr presented the course virtually to soldiers, police officers, physiotherapists and exercise scientists who work with these tactical agencies. The course has been run in the USA, China and Singapore with the final course to be held for the Australian Army next month before the course is converted to a microcredential.

Tactical Strength and Conditioning Annual Training Conference
Dr Orr was again invited to present at the Tactical Strength and Conditioning Annual Training Conference hosted by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The conference was held in Norfolk, Virginia with over 700 delegates attending both physically and remotely. He delivered an 80-minute multimodal session on Building resilience into the legs of tactical personnel (at 1am Australian time) followed by a Q&A session.