Exercise as Treatment of Neck Pain Among Helicopter Pilots and Crew Members

Phase 2

Completed

• Conditions: Neck Pain; Shoulder Pain
• Interventions: Behavioral: Specific Strength Training

• Registration Number: NCT01926262
• Lead Sponsor: University of Southern Denmark

Brief Summary

The aim of this project is to investigate, whether physical training, targeted neck and shoulder muscles, can reduce and prevent neck pain among military helicopter pilots and crewmembers.

Detailed Description

Military helicopter pilots and crewmembers is often burdened by work-related neck and shoulder pain. Neck pain is a health challenge, that can reduce functional level, concentration and operational safety. Physical exercise has shown good efficacy in reducing neck/shoulder pain in other occupational groups in previous studies.

The Royal Danish Air Force and the University of Southern Denmark, wishes to examine whether specific physical exercise can prevent and reduce neck/shoulder pain within this occupational group.

Participants in this project will be randomly selected to either a physical exercise group or a reference group.

* The physical exercise group will follow a training program targeted neck and shoulder muscles and train 1 hour per week (3 x 20 min) for 26 weeks.

* The reference group will continue normal routines, including workout routines. They will later be offered the same training program as the Physical Exercise group provided that training has a positive effect.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2013-08-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-08-16
• Study First Posted: 2013-08-20
• Study Start: 2013-11
• Primary Completion: 2014-04
• Study Completion: 2014-04
• Status Verified: 2015-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-12-01
• Last Update Posted: 2015-12-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 69

Inclusion Criteria

• Employed within the Royal Danish Air Force
• Helicopter pilot
• Crewmember (Flight engineer, Rescue swimmer or Mission System Operator)
• Flown within the past 6 months

Exclusion Criteria

• Grounded at time of inclusion
• Participated in a training intervention within the past 12 months

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Physical Exercise Group	Specific Strength Training	Specific Strength Training for the Neck and Shoulder muscles

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neck and shoulder pain	6 months	Neck pain will be assessed as self-rated pain on a 10 point scale by questionnaire at baseline and follow-up after 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Postural stability	6 months	Postural stability will be assessed at baseline and follow-up after 6 months
Pressure-Pain-Threshold	6 months	Pressure-Pain-Threshold will be assessed at baseline and follow-up after 6 months
Muscle strength and steadiness	6 months	Muscle strength and steadiness will be quantified by force transducers at baseline and follow-up after 6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hilicopter Wing Karup; 🇩🇰 Karup, Denmark