Background
Methods
Design of the study
Participants and randomization
Measurements
Questionnaire
Exercise intervention
Training adherence
Statistical analysis
Results
Pre-intervention
Participant characteristics
ETG (n = 35) | REF (n = 34) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 40.4 ± 6.7 | 40.7 ± 8.4 | 0.880 |
Height (m) | 1.82 ± 0.07 | 1.80 ± 0.08 | 0.360 |
Seated height (m) | 0.95 ± 0.05 | 0.95 ± 0.04 | 0.995 |
Weight (kg) | 84.2 ± 12.7 | 83.7 ± 11.8 | 0.882 |
Body mass index (BMI) | 25.4 ± 3.0 | 25.7 ± 2.3 | 0.640 |
Flying hours in fixed-wing aircraft (hours) | 226.3 ± 565.3 | 124.1 ± 371.5 | 0.523 |
Flying hours in rotary-wing aircraft (hours) | 1778.1 ± 1214.3 | 2142.8 ± 1451.1 | 0.374 |
Flying hours with NVG (hours) | 160.6 ± 99.1 | 174.6 ± 142.0 | 0.995 |
Pain prevalence
ETG (n = 35) | REF (n = 34) | (95% Conf. Interval) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Neck pain previous 3-months | ||||
Pre-intervention | 1.9 ± 1.7 | 2.5 ± 1.9 | - 0.6 (- 1.5 - 0.3) | 0.159 |
Post-intervention | 1.9 ± 2.0 | 1.9 ± 1.8 | - 0.1 (- 1.0 – 0.8) | 0.865 |
Change | 0.0 ± 2.5 | - 0.5 ± 1.7 | 0.5 (- 0.5 – 1.6) | 0.291 |
Neck pain previous 7-days | ||||
Pre-intervention | 1.0 ± 1.4 | 1.0 ± 1.5 | 0.1 (- 0.7 – 0.8) | 0.871 |
Post-intervention | 0.6 ± 1.1 | 0.7 ± 1.4 | - 0.1 (- 0.7 – 0.5) | 0.724 |
Change | - 0.5 ± 1.1† | - 0.3 ± 1.4 | - 0.2 (- 0.8 – 0.5) | 0.602 |
Shoulder pain (right side) previous 3-months | ||||
Pre-intervention | 1.3 ± 2.0 | 1.3 ± 1.5 | 0.0 (- 0.8 – 0.9) | 0.951 |
Post-intervention | 1.1 ± 1.8 | 1.6 ± 2.2 | - 0.5 (- 1.4 – 0.5) | 0.327 |
Change | - 0.1 ± 2.1 | 0.4 ± 1.6 | - 0.5 (- 1.4 – 0.4) | 0.267 |
Shoulder pain (right side) previous 7-days | ||||
Pre-intervention | 0.7 ± 1.7 | 0.5 ± 1.1 | 0.2 (- 0.5 – 0.9) | 0.529 |
Post-intervention | 0.6 ± 1.6 | 0.9 ± 1.9 | - 0.3 (- 1.1 – 0.6) | 0.515 |
Change | - 0.1 ± 1.9 | 0.3 ± 1.2 | - 0.5 (- 1.3 – 0.3) | 0.213 |
Shoulder pain (left side) previous 3-months | ||||
Pre-intervention | 0.8 ± 1.5 | 0.9 ± 1.5 | - 0.0 (- 0.8 – 0.7) | 0.913 |
Post-intervention | 0.7 ± 1.3 | 0.6 ± 1.2 | 0.0 (- 0.6 – 0.6) | 0.969 |
Change | - 0.2 ± 1.6 | - 0.2 ± 1.6 | 0.1 (- 0.7 – 0.8) | 0.895 |
Shoulder pain (left side) previous 7-days | ||||
Pre-intervention | 0.4 ± 1.1 | 0.5 ± 1.3 | - 0.1 (- 0.7 – 0.5) | 0.694 |
Post-intervention | 0.4 ± 1.0 | 0.0 ± 0.2 | 0.3 (0.0 – 0.7) | 0.049* |
Change | - 0.1 ± 1.3 | - 0.5 ± 1.3† | 0.5 (-0.2 – 1.1) | 0.149 |
Pain intensity and sensitivity
ETG (n = 35) | REF (n = 34) | (95% Conf. Interval) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Trapezius m. (right) | ||||
Pre-intervention (kPa) | 424 ± 187 | 416 ± 177 | 8 (-79 – 96) | 0.851 |
Post-intervention (kPa) | 409 ± 183 | 342 ± 143 | 67 (-12 – 146) | 0.094 |
Change (kPa) | -15 ± 126 | - 74 ± 137† | 59 (-4 – 122) | 0.067 |
Trapezius m. (left) | ||||
Pre-intervention (kPa) | 434 ± 188 | 405 ± 163 | 28 (-56 – 113) | 0.507 |
Post-intervention (kPa) | 381 ± 169 | 332 ± 154 | 49 (-29 – 127) | 0.211 |
Change (kPa) | -53 ± 113† | -74 ± 119† | 21 (-35 – 77) | 0.456 |
Upper neck extensors (right) | ||||
Pre-intervention (kPa) | 345 ± 157 | 334 ± 147 | 11 (-62 – 84) | 0.759 |
Post-intervention (kPa) | 347 ± 152 | 295 ± 116 | 53 (-12 – 118) | 0.110 |
Change (kPa) | 2 ± 118 | -39 ± 97† | 41 (-11 – 93) | 0.117 |
Upper neck extensors (left) | ||||
Pre-intervention (kPa) | 371 ± 170 | 335 ± 163 | 36 (-44– 116) | 0.377 |
Post-intervention (kPa) | 348 ± 146 | 292 ± 121 | 56 (-8 – 121) | 0.086 |
Change (kPa) | -23 ± 110 | -44 ± 104† | 21 (-31 – 72) | 0.424 |
Reference point | ||||
Pre-intervention (kPa) | 643 ± 218 | 622 ± 231 | 21 (-87 – 129) | 0.700 |
Post-intervention (kPa) | 587 ± 209 | 553 ± 224 | 34 (-70 – 139) | 0.513 |
Change (kPa) | -56 ± 125† | - 69 ± 209 | 13 (-69 – 96) | 0.746 |