ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2019
Prevalence and potential risk factors of flight-related neck, shoulder and low back pain among helicopter pilots and crewmembers: a questionnaire-based study.
Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pain in the Cervical and Lumbar Spine as a Result of High G-Force Values in Military Pilots-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Physical exercise improved muscle strength and pain on neck and shoulder in military pilots.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Pooled it
- Predicting cervical muscle forces in fighter pilots: a comparison of shear wave elastography and PID controllers using finite element analysis.Annals of biomedical engineering · 2026Article
- Biomechanical Analysis and Injury Prediction in Pilots With Lumbar Spondylolysis Under Different Seat Inclination Angles.JOR spine · 2026Article
- The effects of different neck training methods on the neck function of aviation cadets.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Prolonged neck proprioceptive vibratory stimulation prevents the self-motion misperception induced by neck muscle fatigue: immediate and sustained effects.Experimental brain research · 2025Article
- Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain in military personnel: a systematic review.EFORT open reviews · 2024Article
- Cancer risk among air transportation industry workers in Korea: a national health registry-based study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Prevalence and related factors for neck pain in military personnel: a systematic review.EFORT open reviews · 2024Article
- Reduction of the vertical vestibular-ocular reflex in military aircraft pilots exposed to tactical, high-performance flight.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- Assessment of Low Back Pain in Helicopter Pilots Using Electrical Bio-Impedance Technique: A Feasibility Study.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2022Article
- Effects of increasing axial load on cervical motor control.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Cervico-thoracic pain and associated impairments in air force personnel: a cross-sectional study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2021Article
- Prevalence and Potential Risk Factors for Occupational Low Back Pain Among Male Military Pilots: A Study Based on Questionnaire and Physical Function Assessment.Frontiers in public health · 2021Article
- Influence of Axial Load and a 45-Degree Flexion Head Position on Cervical Spinal Stiffness in Healthy Young Adults.Frontiers in physiology · 2021Article
- Musculoskeletal disorders and their associations with health- and work-related factors: a cross-sectional comparison between Swedish air force personnel and army soldiers.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Article
- Crew-Friendly Countermeasures Against Musculoskeletal Injuries in Aviation and Spaceflight.Frontiers in physiology · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFlight-related neck, shoulder and low back pain are the most common musculoskeletal disorders among helicopter pilots and their crewmembers, thus becoming a growing concern. Information on the combined prevalence of these types of pain and related risks are scarce. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate pain prevalence and to evaluate potential risk factors for neck pain among helicopter pilots and crewmembers within the armed forces, the airborne police and airborne rescue organizations in Austria.
methodsAmong a cohort of 104 helicopter pilots and 117 crewmembers (69.8% compliance), demographics, flying experience, use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG), helicopter type flown, prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal symptoms (pain was defined as any reported pain experience, ache or discomfort) were collected by an online-based questionnaire.
resultsFor helicopter pilots the 12-month prevalence of neck pain was 67.3%, followed by low back (48.1%) and shoulder pain (43.3%). Among crewmembers, the 12-month pain prevalence were 45.3, 36.8 and 30.8% among the neck, lower back and shoulder, respectively. During this period, 41.8% of these helicopter pilots had experienced 8-30 pain days in the areas of neck (45.7%), shoulder (37.8%) and lower back (42.0%) whereas 47.8% of crewmembers self-reported 1-7 days of neck (54.7%), low back (44.2%) and shoulder (44.4%) pain in the previous year. The 3-month prevalence of neck pain was 64.4% followed by low back (42.3%) and shoulder pain (38.5%) for helicopter pilots. Among crewmembers, 41.9% suffered from neck, 29.9% from low back and 29.1% from shoulder pain the previous 3 months. Multivariate regression analysis revealed NVG use (OR 1.9, 95% CI, 1.06-3.50, p = 0.032), shoulder pain (OR 4.9, 95% CI, 2.48-9.55, p < 0.001) and low back pain (OR 2.3, 95% CI, 1.21-4.31, p = 0.011) to be significantly associated with neck pain.
conclusionsThe 12- and 3-month prevalence of neck, shoulder and low back is considerably high among both, helicopter pilots and crewmembers confirming the existence of this growing concern. The use of NVG devices, shoulder and low back pain in the previous 12 months represent independent risk factors for neck pain. These findings highlight the need for longitudinal studies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.