Clinimetric and Instrumental Characterization of Fighter Pilots With Flight-related Neck Pain.

Clinimetric and Instrumental Characterization of Fighter Pilots With Flight-related Neck Pain. Observational Study

The objective of the study is to detect the state of clinical and instrumental factors related in fighter pilots with non-specific mechanical neck pain.

A prevalence study (descriptive, observational, cross-sectional) was carried out, in which clinimetric variables (range of active cervical movement, motor control and electrical activity), perceived pain (using NSMNP and algometry) and disability were evaluated. The sample (n = 18) is divided into instructors (n = 7) and students (n = 11). The objective of this study is to characterize descriptively at the sociodemographic level and to know the state of health in relation to clinimetric variables of the fighter pilots of the Talavera la Real air base (Badajoz) to determine the risk of developing an neck injury.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Numerical pain rating scale. Participants rated the intensity of their neck pain at rest on an 11-point Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), where 0 was no pain and 10 maximum pain .The pilots airforce were asked to indicate the pain levels that they experienced when they wake up in the morning. Cleland et al reported that the minimal detectable change (MDC) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the numeric pain rating scale were 1.3 and 2.1 points, respectively, in patients with mechanical neck pain.
• Joint Position Sense. This test assesses the ability to relocate the head to its natural posture, and is a test of cervical proprioception. It consists of a visual measurement of error in moving the head to the initial neutral position after active cervical rotation. If the average difference between the initial and final position is equivalent to an error of 4.5 degrees, it is considered abnormal and the subject could be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cervical pain that occurs with irradiation to the upper limbs and / or radiculopathy.
• Cervical spine surgery.
• Have received physical therapy treatment six weeks prior to data collection.
• Being involved in an on-going medico-legal dispute.