Factors contributing to pain in military helicopter pilots

Abstract

It is commonly accepted that for military helicopter pilots, neck and back pain is part of the job. This pain can decrease pilot situational awareness, increase medically related downtime, and increase healthcare costs incurred due to pilots. This literature review analyzes factors that contribute to neck and back pain and injury in military helicopter pilots, evaluates effectiveness of exercise regimes in mitigating pain, and assesses the potential for engineering design changes to reduce pain. Most of the reviewed literature confirms that exercise could be an effective means at decreasing pain in pilots; however, there was no universal finding regarding the impact of factors such as height, age and flight hours, gender, and airframe on pilot pain and injury. These topics remain worthy of further study as it is important to fully understand what factors contribute to pilot pain so they can be addressed in future military helicopter cockpit designs.