Frequency of cervical pain incidence in United States Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 pilots

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of cervical pain incidence in U.S. Navy/Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet pilots. As high G capable aircraft continue push the performance envelope of tactical aviation the effects on human anatomy become more apparent. There were 149 respondents to an anonymous survey regarding the occurrence of cervical pain resulting from flying under high G. The study found that 72 pilots reported having experienced cervical pain. Of these only 10 reported the incidence to a flight surgeon. Chi-square analysis of the collected data revealed no significant relationship between the incidence of cervical pain and pilot age, or the number of flight hours logged by the pilots in the F/A-18. The study confirmed the existence of a high prevalence rate of cervical pain among tactical pilots as an occupational group.