TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Neck pain among fighter pilots after the introduction of the JHMCS helmet and NVG in their environment
JO  - Aviation, space, and environmental medicine
A1  - Toft, Palle
A1  - Torp-Svendsen, Jørgen
A1  - Lange, Britt
SP  - 559
EP  - 563
VL  - 82
IS  - 5
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Neck pain is a common complaint among fighter pilots. With implementation of the joint helmet mounted cuing system (JHMCS), the strain on the pilot's neck has increased. METHODS: We surveyed 58 F-16 pilots from the Royal Danish Air Force by anonymous questionnaires. More than half of these pilots used JHMCS regularly. RESULTS: The response rate was 100%. Of the pilots, 97% experienced neck pain in flight or shortly after flying, 83% within the last year. Right side neck pain was significantly more frequent than left side, odds ratio 3.25. There was a strong tendency toward predominant right-sided shoulder pain. The pilots reported that combined rotation and extension movements were especially hazardous. Only 1 in 10 pilots moved his head independent of G-load. Neck pain influenced operational flying, especially the ability to perform a "check six" movement sufficiently, and affected flying with high G loads as occurs in basic fighter maneuvers and air combat maneuvering. DISCUSSION: To avoid neck problems the majority of pilots aim to avoid certain head movements and to fix their neck before exposing themselves to high +Gz loads. With the implementation of JHMCS, two conflicting goals are evident and working at cross-purposes. A pilot's head should remain stationary while exposed to high +Gz loads. However, maximizing the advantages of JHMCS encourages the pilot to move his head sharply while exposed to high +Gz loads. Training programs to help the pilots cope with these challenges are warranted.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0095-6562
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -