Exercise as Treatment of Neck Pain Among Helicopter Pilots and Crew Members

Physical Exercise Against Neck and Shoulder Pain in Danish Military Helicopter Pilots and Crewmembers - A Clinical Randomized, Controlled Trail

The aim of this project is to investigate, whether physical training, targeted neck and shoulder muscles, can reduce and prevent neck pain among military helicopter pilots and crewmembers.

Military helicopter pilots and crewmembers is often burdened by work-related neck and shoulder pain. Neck pain is a health challenge, that can reduce functional level, concentration and operational safety. Physical exercise has shown good efficacy in reducing neck/shoulder pain in other occupational groups in previous studies.

The Royal Danish Air Force and the University of Southern Denmark, wishes to examine whether specific physical exercise can prevent and reduce neck/shoulder pain within this occupational group.

Participants in this project will be randomly selected to either a physical exercise group or a reference group.

• The physical exercise group will follow a training program targeted neck and shoulder muscles and train 1 hour per week (3 x 20 min) for 26 weeks.
• The reference group will continue normal routines, including workout routines. They will later be offered the same training program as the Physical Exercise group provided that training has a positive effect.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Employed within the Royal Danish Air Force
• Helicopter pilot
• Crewmember (Flight engineer, Rescue swimmer or Mission System Operator)
• Flown within the past 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Grounded at time of inclusion
• Participated in a training intervention within the past 12 months