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Head Movements and Neck Muscle Activity During Air Combat Maneuvering
- Source :
- Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance. 91:26-31
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Aerospace Medical Association, 2020.
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of cervical muscle activity in different head movements when using helmet mounted display in air combat maneuvering.METHODS: Cervical EMG was measured with eight F/A-18 pilots using the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) during air combat maneuvering. In-flight Gz acceleration and continuous head position were recorded. Muscular activity was compared between head movements in isolation and combined with torso movement. In addition, the effect of the direction of head movements and the use of head support of the ejection seat on muscle activity was determined.RESULTS: Muscular loading increased in the cervical flexors and extensors when using the torso during targeting beyond the field of vision in the neutral sitting posture; the difference was significant in the flexors, but activity levels were higher in the extensors. Cervical muscles are loaded to a lesser extent if the head is kept in a stable position during Gz loading. Muscular activity in the neck muscles was higher when the pilot was moving the head out of neutral posture rather than toward neutral posture. The use of the headrest as a support decreased muscle activity in the extensors, but resulted in higher activity in the flexor muscles.DISCUSSION: All analyzed conditions were significantly affected by an increase in Gz. An increase of muscle activity with torso movements is considered as a positive factor as it reflects maintained muscular support for the cervical spine. Presented results may be helpful when specific conditioning programs and cockpit ergonomics are developed for fighter pilots.Sovelius R, Mäntylä M, Huhtala H, Oksa J, Valtonen R, Tiitola L, Leino T. Head movements and neck muscle activity during air combat maneuvering. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(1):26–31.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Helmet-mounted display
Posture
Poison control
Electromyography
Weight-Bearing
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Neck Muscles
medicine
Humans
medicine.diagnostic_test
business.industry
Torso
030208 emergency & critical care medicine
General Medicine
Neck muscles
Neutral spine
Pilots
Military Personnel
medicine.anatomical_structure
Head Movements
Head movements
Head Protective Devices
Aviation
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 23756314
- Volume :
- 91
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a11c4a2a511041c72ce361152f4ed7ea