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

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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
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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.

Official Title
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Physical Exercise Against Neck and Shoulder Pain in Danish Military Helicopter Pilots and Crewmembers - A Clinical Randomized, Controlled Trail

Conditions
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Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Specific Strength Training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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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

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Physical Exercise Group<br>Specific Strength Training for the Neck and Shoulder muscles | Behavioral: Specific Strength Training<br>* Specific Strength Training for the Neck and Shoulder Muscles<br>|
| No Intervention: Reference group<br>No Specific Strength Training | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Neck and shoulder pain | Neck pain will be assessed as self-rated pain on a 10 point scale by questionnaire at baseline and follow-up after 6 months | 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pressure-Pain-Threshold | Pressure-Pain-Threshold will be assessed at baseline and follow-up after 6 months | 6 months | 
| Muscle strength and steadiness | Muscle strength and steadiness will be quantified by force transducers at baseline and follow-up after 6 months | 6 months | 
| Postural stability | Postural stability will be assessed at baseline and follow-up after 6 months | 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Pain, Neck, Exercise, Pilots, Crewmembers,