Low Back Pain, Muscular Atrophy, Neck Pain
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this project is to investigate the occurrence of neck and back pain in a population of commercial helicopter pilots, and investigate factors related to the profession that can cause these problems. The project has a biological approach assessing the supporting and stabilizing muscles (multifidus) in pilots with chronic back and neck ailments. Pilots with low back problems are invited to a controlled intervention trial to investigate whether one can achieve improved spinal health with a rigid training régime. Primary trial outcome is improved neck and back multifidus muscles pathology and function as assessed by the extent of fat infiltration -as visualized on MRI - and the volume and ability of the lumbar multifidus muscles to contract as shown with ultrasound. The perceived effect on spinal health with sick leave frequency is also evaluated.
Interventions
OTHERLow back exercises 1
Excentric / concentric extension type exercises
OTHERLow back exercise 2
Traditional low back training
Sponsors
Helse Stavanger HF
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Pilots must experience low back pain in at least 1 of 3 flights or * Pilots must have at least 2 episodes of low back pain of at least 24 hours duration over the last 12 months. Each episode is separated with at least one painfree month before and after each episode, or * Pilots may have had more than 3 sick leaves due to low back pain over the last 5 years
Exclusion criteria
* contraindications for physical training/activity
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Multifidus muscle fat infiltration (% of muscle volume). | one year | Primary trial outcome is improved neck and back multifidus muscles pathology and function as assessed by the extent of fat infiltration as visualized on MRI (% of muscle volume).Change from baseline at 12 months. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lumbar multifidus muscles contractability. | Two years | Volume and ability of the lumbar multifidus muscles to contract as shown with ultrasound (% of expansion during reflex activation)Change from baseline at 3,6,9,12 and 24 months. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number and duration of sick leaves amongst helicopter pilots | Two years | Effect on spinal health with sick leave frequency in helicopter pilots. Change from baseline in numbers and duration compared to previous years statistics. |
Countries
Norway
Outcome results
None listed