Spinal shrinkage due to +Gz forces.
Aviat Space Environ Med
; 67(7): 659-61, 1996 Jul.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-8830946
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Fighter pilots frequently complain of inflight pain in the cervical or lumbar spine. As to the cervical spine, there is evidence that repeated exposures to high +Gz forces and inflight neck pain may cause premature cervical disk degeneration. Whether inflight lumbar pain caused by high +Gz forces has a similar effect on the lumbar spine has not been studied.HYPOTHESIS:
The aim of the study was to investigate whether high +Gz forces during aerial combat maneuvering reduces the body height. Investigation to determine whether any long-term degenerative changes occur in the lumbar spine was beyond the scope of this study.METHODS:
The body height of 20 junior fighter pilots was measured before and after 30 min of recumbent rest and after high-G flights. A special measuring device was used. Measurements were also made with the pilots sitting fully equipped in a fighter aircraft on the ground.RESULTS:
Maneuvering under high +Gz forces for 40 min caused a 4.9 mm decrease in body height. Recumbent rest before flights increased body height by 2.5-3.5 mm, and sitting in an aircraft returned body height to the values measured before rest.CONCLUSIONS:
The findings indicate that +Gz forces place a high stress on the spinal column. Therefore, the work of a fighter pilot can be considered to be physically demanding with respect to the spinal column.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Coluna Vertebral
/
Estatura
/
Hipergravidade
/
Militares
Tipo de estudo:
Clinical_trials
Limite:
Adult
/
Humans
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Aviat Space Environ Med
Ano de publicação:
1996
Tipo de documento:
Article