TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of helmet mass and aircraft acceleration on cervical spine loads during typical fast jet aircraft pilot head motions
AU - Newman, Phil
AU - Riches, Amelia
AU - Mara, Jocelyn
AU - Spratford, Wayne
N1 - Funding Information:
Thanks go to Air Combat Group and the aircrew involved in this study from the Royal Australian Airforce; Mr. James Wallace, Dr. Adrian Smith from the Institute of Aviation Medicine.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Objectives Gravitational Force (Gz), head motion, and helmet mass are associated with neck pain in high performance aircraft pilots. Few studies have quantified neck kinetics (intersegmental neck moments) during aerial combat manoeuvres. Design Cross-sectional. Methods We quantified net joint moments between the skull and C1, and C6–7 during typical flight related headchecks using the Musculoskeletal Model for the Analysis of Spinal Injuries (MASI). We measured the influence of pilot-specific helmets and Gz on joint moments. Nineteen fighter pilots performed four head checks (check6 left, check6 right, extension hold and extension scan) under two helmet conditions. Motion data were transferred to OpenSim where joint moments were calculated at 1G to 9G. Net joint moments were compared across helmet conditions, Gz and headchecks. Results The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) resulted in higher moments at each segment- by a factor of 1.25 per unit of Gz, at C1, and by a factor of 1.08 per unit of Gz for C7. ExtensionScan and Check6Left were associated with the highest peak (96.13 Nm and 92.56 Nm). ExtensionScan and ExtensionHold accrued the highest mean cumulative loads at C7 at 9Gz (607.35 Nm.sec/motion, 362.99 Nm.sec/motion respectively). Asymmetries were observed between the Left and Right Check6 motions. High variability was evident between and within pilots. Conclusions The MASI model has been successfully applied to quantify intersegmental neck joint moments for typical headchecks that are performed during combat flight manoeuvres. In future, data derived from this model may inform conditioning, rehabilitative and preventative interventions to reduce neck pain in fast jet pilots.
AB - Objectives Gravitational Force (Gz), head motion, and helmet mass are associated with neck pain in high performance aircraft pilots. Few studies have quantified neck kinetics (intersegmental neck moments) during aerial combat manoeuvres. Design Cross-sectional. Methods We quantified net joint moments between the skull and C1, and C6–7 during typical flight related headchecks using the Musculoskeletal Model for the Analysis of Spinal Injuries (MASI). We measured the influence of pilot-specific helmets and Gz on joint moments. Nineteen fighter pilots performed four head checks (check6 left, check6 right, extension hold and extension scan) under two helmet conditions. Motion data were transferred to OpenSim where joint moments were calculated at 1G to 9G. Net joint moments were compared across helmet conditions, Gz and headchecks. Results The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) resulted in higher moments at each segment- by a factor of 1.25 per unit of Gz, at C1, and by a factor of 1.08 per unit of Gz for C7. ExtensionScan and Check6Left were associated with the highest peak (96.13 Nm and 92.56 Nm). ExtensionScan and ExtensionHold accrued the highest mean cumulative loads at C7 at 9Gz (607.35 Nm.sec/motion, 362.99 Nm.sec/motion respectively). Asymmetries were observed between the Left and Right Check6 motions. High variability was evident between and within pilots. Conclusions The MASI model has been successfully applied to quantify intersegmental neck joint moments for typical headchecks that are performed during combat flight manoeuvres. In future, data derived from this model may inform conditioning, rehabilitative and preventative interventions to reduce neck pain in fast jet pilots.
KW - Biomechanical models of spine
KW - Fast jet pilots
KW - Neck pain
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135514046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.07.007
M3 - Article
SN - 1440-2440
VL - 25
SP - 855
EP - 860
JO - Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
JF - Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
IS - 10
ER -