Prevalence of cervical and lumbar disc disorders in pilots of the German armed forces

Abstract

On-duty and off-duty, military pilots of the Bundeswehr frequently complain of pains in the spine curtailing performance, reducing service hours and eventually leading even to unfitness for military flying duties. Such disorders may be caused by intervertebral disc alterations. In the period comprising August 1994 and December 1998, 286 pilots (8.1% of all A/C pilots or weapon systems officers of the Bundeswehr) with disc-related disorders in the areas of the cervical and of the lumbar spine were examined at the German Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine. Helicopter pilots had significantly higher rate of intervertebral disc disorders compared to the group of jet pilots and transport A/C pilots (9.9% : 6.6%). The pilots had their first disorders at an average age of 39.2 yrs (jet p.: 37.6 yrs, helicopter p.: 40.4 yrs, transport A/C p.: 39.2 yrs). - Depending on the number of hours, namely after 2680 hours of flying on average, pilots had discopathies, (jet p.: 1830 h, helicopter p.: 3186 h, transport A/C p.: 2670 h). - Finally, the total group of pilots will be compared to a non-flying control group (consisting of air traffic control personnel of 11 army aviation regiments.