Many minor injuries of the musculature or tissue occur at relatively low acceleration forces (approximately + 4 G z), especially when the acceleration changes unexpectedly. Most complaints are not caused by pathological processes but emerge as muscular, nonspecific neck and back pain.
The incidence of spine injury increases due to more flight hours, lack of physical fitness, increased pilot age and, above all, the mass of modern helmets and night vision goggles. The most prominent risk factors for spine injuries among high-performance aircraft personnel are 1) cumulative exposure to elevated + G z during flights 2) unpredictable acceleration variation and 3) the adoption of nonneutral positions of the cervical spine through head rotation during high + G z. Two major processes influence a pilot’s performance at high + G z: 1) the shifting of blood from the brain towards the lower extremities, leaving the pilot subject to loss of consciousness and control of the aircraft and 2) a significantly increased risk of musculoskeletal injury. Pilots of modern fighter or acrobatic aircraft may tolerate angular forces of up to + 9 G z during cornering at high velocity, resulting in a perceived mass 9 times heavier than the actual mass (e.g., a 70 kg body mass being equivalent to ~ 630 kg). Technological advancements in modern military and acrobatic jet planes have reached a level that has resulted in the exertion of extraordinary psychophysiological loads upon flying personnel. Twelve weeks of functional strength training improves the maximal isometric strength and volume of neck and shoulder muscles and leads to lower relative muscle activation upon exposure to elevated G z forces in a long-arm centrifuge. The perceived muscular strain of the neck muscles induced by the long-arm centrifuge did not differ between the groups. Relative muscle activity while wearing a helmet and night vision goggles was higher after intervention in the control group than in the training group ( P < 0.01). Relative muscle activity (%MVC) with a helmet decreased after the intervention in the training but not the control group ( P = 0.01).
The maximal isometric strength in all exercises and muscle volumes increased in the training group but not the control group ( P < 0.05). Each participant’s perception of muscular strain was noted immediately after the long-arm centrifuge protocol. erector spinae muscles were assessed without a flight helmet, with a helmet, and with a helmet and night vision goggles. Furthermore, during a long-arm centrifuge (+ 1.4 and + 3 G z) protocol, the muscular activity levels of the m. Pre- and post-intervention tests included evaluations of isometric strength of the head extensor muscles, flexion, and lateral flexion and rotation, as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure the volume of the m. MethodsĮighteen participants underwent 12 weeks of functional strength training ( n = 12) or the control protocol ( n = 6) without additional strength training. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 12 weeks of functional strength training on 1) the volume and strength of the neck and shoulder muscles and 2) muscular activity upon exposure to helmets of different masses and elevated G z forces in a long-arm centrifuge in high-performance aircraft personnel.
Technological advancements in modern military and acrobatic jet planes have resulted in extraordinary psychophysiological loads being exerted upon flying personnel, including inducing neck and back pain.
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