Prevalence of Backache in Aircraft Pilots

General medical practitioners in the air force often find Backache (BA) an occupational sequel in pilots. BA is often due to prolonged sitting, ineffective lumbar support, poor posture, having to lean forward to reach for navigational buttons and vibrations that can produce disc damage via microtrauma [1]. It is difficult to make a clear association between the type of aircraft and BA [2]. However, the higher incidence of BA in Helicopter Pilots (HP) has been attributed to vibrations (of around 5 Hz) as well as in-flight posture [1,3,4]. Andersen assessed the occurrence of spinal pain, i.e., low back and neck pain, among commercial helicopter pilots, along with possible associations between pain and anthropometric and demographic factors and flying exposure. He found Spinal pain to be a frequent problem [5]. BP in fighter pilots remains a serious occupational problem and found that recent advances such as the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) in modern air combat can contribute to the development of spinal complaints in F-16 pilots [6]. Nagai found Low Back Pain (LBP) to be one of the most common musculoskeletal issues facing military helicopter pilots and stated that it is clinically important to identify differences in musculoskeletal characteristics between pilots with and without a LBP history for formulating effective interventions [7]. He found specific exercises targeted to improve trunk strength, ROM, and side-to-side symmetries may be beneficial to reduce LBP in helicopter pilots [7]. Herein, we sought to determine the prevalence of vertebral problems among 133 pilots, seeking the presence of Backache (BA), the type of aircraft and other factors associated with it.