Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ramirez, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight chief, teaches pilots from Republic of Korea Air Force’s 111th Fighter Squadron how to adjust their posture during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often suffer from neck and back pain from flying for prolonged hours wearing their equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)8th MDG hosts physical therapy class for South Korean AF pilots
                        
                        
                        Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ramirez, right, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight chief, teaches two South Korean air force pilots how to adjust their posture during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often suffer from neck and back pain from flying for prolonged hours wearing their equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        U.S. Air Force Capt. Bridgette Griffiths, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight commander, shows pilots from Republic of Korea Air Force’s 111th Fighter Squadron how sitting with poor posture can affect their spine during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots sitting in the cockpit of fighter jets can develop back pain from staying in the position for extended periods of time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)8th MDG hosts physical therapy class for South Korean AF pilots
                        
                        
                        Capt. Bridgette Griffiths, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight commander, South Korean air force’s 111th Fighter Squadron pilots how sitting with poor posture can affect their spine during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots sitting in the cockpit of fighter jets can develop back pain from staying in the position for extended periods of time. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ramirez (far right), 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight chief, and Master Sgt. Joshua Haney (middle left), 8th Medical Operations Squadron superintendent, teach pilots from Republic of Korea Air Force’s 111th Fighter Squadron how to stretch their backs during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often find themselves developing pain in different areas from regularly putting their bodies under high amounts of gravitational forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)8th MDG hosts physical therapy class for South Korean AF pilots
                        
                        
                        Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ramirez, far right, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight chief, and Master Sgt. Joshua Haney, middle left, 8th Medical Operations Squadron superintendent, teach two South Korean air force pilots how to stretch their backs during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often find themselves developing pain in different areas from regularly putting their bodies under high amounts of gravitational forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michaela Chevalier, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy technician, teaches a pilot from Republic of Korea Air Force’s 111th Fighter Squadron how to stretch his back, during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often suffer from neck and back pain from flying for prolonged hours wearing their equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)8th MDG hosts physical therapy class for South Korean AF pilots
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt. Michaela Chevalier, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy technician, teaches a South Korean Korea air force pilot how to stretch his back during a training session at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, Aug. 9, 2019. Pilots often suffer from neck and back pain from flying for prolonged hours wearing their equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

8th MDG hosts physical therapy class for South Korean AF pilotsPublished Aug. 16, 2019
                    
                    By Senior Airman Stefan Alvarze
                    
                    
                    8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) --**The 8th Medical Group held a special pilot-oriented physical therapy class for the South Korean air force’s 111th Fighter Squadron, Aug. 9.
Pilots from the 111th FS participated in the class and learned about exercises that focus on aches and pains associated with flying fighter jets.
“Pilots experience a lot of issues in the neck and back areas from wearing their helmets for long periods of time and putting themselves under a high amount of gravitational forces on a pretty regular basis,” said Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Ramirez, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight chief.
The PT staff went through a variety of stretches, mostly targeting the upper body, to help relieve pain and discomfort the pilots may experience after flying. Many of the pilots began to notice immediate results after being taught and practicing the stretching exercises.
“This is the start of a very valuable and beneficial friendship with the physical therapy team,” said Lt. Col. Choong-Won Oh, 111th Fighter Squadron commander. “We want to invite the 8th MDG physical therapy team to come to our squadron so they can help all of our pilots and continue to teach us how to better care and treat our aches and pains. Everything they taught us was excellent and very beneficial.”
The clinic has the ability to tailor specific classes for whatever their patient needs or requests. If a unit requests a class focusing on running techniques, the PT clinic can customize a program focusing on that. Topics range from proper lifting techniques, exercises to target specific muscles and even exercises specific to bones instead of muscles.
“We’re here to make sure our patients get what they need, whether its information or hands-on training, we can accommodate them,” said Capt. Bridgette Griffiths, 8th Medical Operations Squadron physical therapy flight commander. “Some of our lessons are more informational and hands off, but it’s just as beneficial to the members since we use real world studies and data to support our content.”
The physical therapy class paved the way for more opportunities to present themselves and further strengthen their partnership.USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Kunsan AB 



8th MDG 



South Korean Air Force 



pilot 



Physical Therapy 



medical 



healthcare 



PACAF 



pain 



stretch 



exercise 



11th Fighter Squadron 



8th Medical Operations Squadron 



LR Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil