Long-term effects of exercise programs among helicopter pilots with flying related LBP

BACKGROUND Flying related transient Low Back Pain (LBP) among helicopter pilots is considered an occupational distress. OBJECTIVE To examine if exercise programs can alleviate transient LBP. METHODS Sixty-five helicopter pilots (92% males), all reporting flying related LBP, responded to an epidemiological survey and a long-term follow-up, 44.8 months later, comprising questions regarding transient LBP and number of sick leaves. Data from 37 pilots participating in two exercise programs, A; general for LBP, B; focused for lumbar trunk (LT), included information from clinical examinations and muscular endurance tests of the LT before and after intervention. Twenty-eight pilots did not participate in any intervention. RESULTS At long-term follow-up 42% of the pilots still reported flying related transient LBP. Among participants in program B 26% had persistent pain, 70% in program A and 46% among pilots without intervention. Sick-leave reduction was only observed among participants in program B (30% to 4%). Upon re-occurrence of LBP symptoms, half of the pilots in program B again performed exercises to improve their pain. CONCLUSION This study indicates that exercise programs focused towards lumbar trunk muscular endurance reduces flying related transient LBP and sick-leave among helicopter pilots. These findings may have implications for the pilots' working conditions.