Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Fatigue in Brazilian Air Force T-27 Instructor’s Pilots and Associated Factors

• Autor(a) principal: Duque, Eduardo
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Massaferri, Renato, Calvo, Adriano
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista de Educação Física
• Texto Completo: https://revistadeeducacaofisica.emnuvens.com.br/revista/article/view/2861
• topic: aviação militar; dor lombar; fadiga; exercício físico; miitary aviation; low back pain; fatigue; physical exercise

Introduction: T-27 instructor pilots at the Air Force Academy (AFA) are constantly exposed to a great volume of flights, often with high G loads, increasing the risk of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) and post-flight fatigue (PFF). It is pointed out that the practice of regular physical exercise (RPE), especially at high volumes, can reduce the prevalence of these symptoms. However, data relating them to RPE are limited. Objective: To evaluate the association of RPE and PFF profiles with MSS in T-27 instructor pilots from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). Methods: Fifty instructors were selected for the research, who filled out a questionnaire which examined flight experience, RPE practice, MSS, and PFF. For comparisons between groups, Fisher's Exact test was used (p<0.05). Results: Seventy-eight percent of instructors reported MSS, with emphasis on the lower back (60%). High PFF was reported by 42% after aerobatic flight, 14% after two flights and increased to 68% after the third daily flight. No differences were found in the involvement of MSS and PFF when RPE was practiced, regardless of volume. An association was found between lumbar PFF after aerobatic flying and the presence of frequent MSS, in addition to a more intense effect when the EMS is specific to the lumbar region. Conclusion: The prevalence of MSS and PFF in this population is high, with the lumbar region being the most affected. Symptoms worsen with the accumulation of flights and acrobatic flights. The practice of RPE, regardless of volume, does not seem to influence it, suggesting that the physical training performed may not be the most appropriate