• S Tyler Williams, Adrienne M Madison, and Valeta Carol Chancey.
• U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL), Fort Rucker, AL 36362, USA.
• Mil Med. 2023 Nov 8; 188 (Suppl 6): 240245240-245.

IntroductionMilitary flight surgeons evaluating aviators for flight fitness based on the cervical spine range of motion (CROM) have no operationally relevant reference with which to make a reliable determination. The published physiological limits for the general population do not necessarily apply to military aviators. CROM requirements for rotary-wing aviators would ideally be defined by measurements taken directly within their operational environment.Materials And MethodsNine subjects performed the same predetermined 1-hour flight mission in a UH-60 aircraft and then, at least 2 days later, in the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) NUH-60 flight simulator. Head position was recorded using an optical-based inertial tracker attached to the night vision goggle mount of the subjects' flight helmets. Matched-pair t-tests were implemented to compare the maximum CROM between aircraft and simulated flights and the published general population.ResultsThe percent of flight time in severe flexion and lateral bending was not statistically different (P > 0.05) between real and simulated flights but was statistically lower in the simulator for severe twist rotation (P < 0.05). The maximum CROM for the advanced maneuvers was significantly lower than the norms for the general population (P < 0.05).ConclusionsThe flight simulator could be a useful platform for flight surgeons determining CROM-related flight fitness if methods to increase the frequency of neck twist rotation movements during flight were implemented. The published maximum CROM values for the general population are not an appropriate reference for flight surgeons making flight fitness determinations related to CROM.Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2023. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

8 keywords...

hide…