Stretching and Self-Myofascial Release in Helicopter Aircrew to Reduce Neck and Back Pain

Aircrew transient back and neck pain is well documented, but currently no standardized preflight and postflight stretching protocol for Naval Aviation. A study published in Military Medicine aimed to determine the efficacy of a standardized preflight and postflight stretching protocol (PPS) to reduce neck and back pain scores in helicopter aircrew. Subjects were recruited from two carrier air wing MH-60R squadrons at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.

The study found that the PPS protocol reduced postflight cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and overall pain. The study demonstrated that PPS, a simple 5- to 7-min stretching routine, could be safely applied to other aviation populations in military and civilian communities, reducing the need for medical intervention and costly pharmacological management of neck and back pain.