Period Prevalence of Acute Neck Injury in U.S. Air Force Pilots Exposed to High G Forces

摘要

Neck injury and its sequelae associated with high G forces is an unquantified clinical and epidemiological problem in exposed pilots. There has been a paucity of research in this area. This proposal is a beginning, with a descriptive period prevalence study of acute neck injury in high performance aircraft pilots. A sample of pilots of five different aircraft with varying performance capabilities will be surveyed, utilizing an anonymous questionnaire. Stratified sample data will be analyzed to determine the strength of association of injury prevalence with pilot age, type of G-exposure, and type of aircraft flown. The long-term questions to be addressed are these: 1) For those pilots exposed and having acute injuries, what are the acute and chronic effects on the cervical spine. 2) Are repeated exposures cumulative. 3) Are there degenerative effects such as cervical arthritis. 4) Can the cervical spine tolerate even more high G without deleterious effects. Needed long-term prospective studies will address these questions. This proposal will qualify and quantify the presence of the potential injurious exposure.