Occurrence, Diagnosis and Treatment of Neck and Back Pain in Helicopter Pilots.

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Low Back Pain; Neck Pain; Muscular Atrophy
• Interventions: Other: Low back exercises 1; Other: Low back exercise 2

• Registration Number: NCT01788111
• Lead Sponsor: Helse Stavanger HF

Brief Summary

The purpose of this project is to investigate the occurrence of neck and back pain in a population of commercial helicopter pilots, and investigate factors related to the profession that can cause these problems. The project has a biological approach assessing the supporting and stabilizing muscles (multifidus) in pilots with chronic back and neck ailments. Pilots with low back problems are invited to a controlled intervention trial to investigate whether one can achieve improved spinal health with a rigid training régime. Primary trial outcome is improved neck and back multifidus muscles pathology and function as assessed by the extent of fat infiltration -as visualized on MRI - and the volume and ability of the lumbar multifidus muscles to contract as shown with ultrasound. The perceived effect on spinal health with sick leave frequency is also evaluated.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-01
• Study First Submitted: 2013-02-05
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-02-07
• Study First Posted: 2013-02-11
• Status Verified: 2019-12
• Primary Completion: 2019-12
• Study Completion: 2019-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-03-23
• Last Update Posted: 2020-03-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 325

Inclusion Criteria

• Pilots must experience low back pain in at least 1 of 3 flights or
• Pilots must have at least 2 episodes of low back pain of at least 24 hours duration over the last 12 months. Each episode is separated with at least one painfree month before and after each episode, or
• Pilots may have had more than 3 sick leaves due to low back pain over the last 5 years

Exclusion Criteria

• contraindications for physical training/activity

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Low back exercises 1	Low back exercises 1	Specific low back extensor exercises in special training bench
Low back exercise 2	Low back exercise 2	Traditional low back exercises.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Multifidus muscle fat infiltration (% of muscle volume).	one year	Primary trial outcome is improved neck and back multifidus muscles pathology and function as assessed by the extent of fat infiltration as visualized on MRI (% of muscle volume).Change from baseline at 12 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Lumbar multifidus muscles contractability.	Two years	Volume and ability of the lumbar multifidus muscles to contract as shown with ultrasound (% of expansion during reflex activation)Change from baseline at 3,6,9,12 and 24 months.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Research Dep. Stavanger University Hospital Armauer Hansens vei 20 PB 8100 4068 Stavanger; 🇳🇴 Stavanger, Norway