Clinical Benefits of a Multimodal Physiotherapy Programme in Fighter Pilots With Flight-related Neck Pain

Clinical Benefits of a Multimodal Physiotherapy Programme in Fighter Pilots With Flight-related Neck Pain

The aim of this study was to analyse the immediate effects of a 4-week multimodal physiotherapy program which combines cervical supervised exercises with laser-guided feedback (ELGF) and interferential current electro massage (ICE) in fighter pilots with flight-related neck pain.

Flight-related neck pain constitutes a clinical entity related to the performance and flight safety of fighter pilots. The aim of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of a multimodal physiotherapy program which combines supervised Exercise with Laser-Guided Feedback (ELGF) and Interferential Current Electro-Massage (ICE) in fighter pilots with flight-related neck pain.

31 pilots were randomly allocated into two groups (Experimental Group n=14; Control Group n = 17). The intervention consisted of 8 sessions (twice a week) for 4 weeks. As primary outcome measures the following variables were measured: perceived pain intensity (Numeric Pain Rating Scale) and neck disability (Neck Disability Index). The secondary outcome measures were: cervical range of movement (CRoM), joint position sense error (JPSE) and pressure pain threshold (PPT).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Flight pilots (male and female) who, at the time of the assessment, were an instructor or student attached to the 23th Wing of Talavera Air Base, Spanish Air Force (SAF), Badajoz.
• Flight pilots diagnosed with flight-related neck pain according to the International Classification proposed by an expert panel of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
• A minimum perceived pain of 3/10 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in the early-morning assessment.
• Scores of ≥5 points on the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and a cervical-repositioning error of ≥4.5°.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cervical pain with radiation to the upper limbs and/or radiculopathy.
• Cervical spine surgery with or without the presence of a metal implant.
• Having received physiotherapy or any other routine medical care six weeks prior to data collection.
• Being involved in ongoing medical-legal conflicts.