Management of Neck Pain in Royal Australian Air Force Fast Jet Aircrew

Published in the January 2011 Military Medicine Journal.

In this study, therapists at the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences in Victoria, Australia designed an 18-question survey to determine type and effectiveness of various strategies used by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fast jet (FJ) aircrew in self-referral and management of flight-related neck pain.

They provided this questionnaire to 86 eligible RAAF aircrew to determine aircrew demographics, their incidence of flight-related neck pain, and their self-referral strategies to manage these neck injuries. The results are quite dramatic:
1. Ninety-five percent of the respondents experienced flight-related neck pain.
2. The most commonly sought treatment modalities were on-base medical and physiotherapy services.
3. Many respondents reported using on-base treatment and ancillary services such as chiropractic care.


This same group reported that chiropractic care was the most effective in alleviating their symptoms.


1. Congress Moves to Expand Chiropractic Services to Veterans and Military Beneficiaries
Chiro.Org Blog ~ February 4th, 2011
http://www.chiro.org/wordpress/?p=4491

2. Management of Neck Pain in Royal Australian Air Force Fast Jet Aircrew
Military Medicine 2011 (Jan); 176 (1): 106–109
http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Management_of_Neck_Pain_in_Royal.shtml