1st Lt. Anton King, 75th Fighter Squadron pilot, in an HGU-55/P helmet that provides A-10C Thunderbolt II pilots with a central interface for everything they need, from oxygen supply to communications to flight instruments. (USAF photo illustration)
Written by: Laura Dempsey
At the Air Force Research Laboratory’s 711th Human Performance Wing (AFRL/711HPW), the focus is
always on maximizing the potential that lies within the human body. This can involve adding technology
to, for instance, pilots’ helmets and flight suits, adding capability and often weight, which can cause
issues in flexibility and maneuverability for the wearers.
Thinking “outside the box” is a specialty of Wright Brothers Institute (WBI), so AFRL/711HPW enlisted
WBI’s aid in exploring a wide variety of complementary and integrative medicine practices and approaches to enhance Air Force Airmen’s human performance. In this case, AFRL/711HPW concentrated on pilot neck and back issues.
WBI arranged for nine practitioners of complementary and integrative medicine to come together for a two-day virtual workshop, in which they listened to the 711HPW experts, analyzed the issues, and discussed how their particular expertise could be applied to alleviate, prevent and treat pilots’ neck and back issues.
The practitioners included an acupuncturist who studied in China and uses Eastern Medicine techniques to treat patients in his practice; a chiropractor who worked with the Kansas City Chiefs for 15 years; a dentist who discussed how dental appliances and tongue position can alleviate jaw and neck pain; and a retired Army nurse whose research focuses on ways to improve back and neck function, reduce disability, improve quality of life and improve secondary mental health outcomes – among others.
It was an impressive, diverse panel, and the discussion was lively. Day One of the workshop was
spent on introductions with a “getting-to-know-you-and-what-you-do” theme and a
presentation by the 711HPW of the data and background on the Air Force’s pilot neck and back
issues. At the conclusion of Day One the 711HPW met with WBI workshop organizers and collectively
agreed to focus Day Two on four topic areas: preflight options to improve pilot resiliency, postflight
options to improve pilot recovery, treatment options for neck and back injuries, and options for
optimizing performance in general.
A Plethora of Good Information
The takeaways were extensive. In the discussion of preflight options, the concepts presented ranged
from broad ideas such as changing the pilot culture to more focused suggestions such as identifying individual pilot’s risk areas by taking anthropomorphic measurements. Nutrition was put forward as a good way to improve everything from joint health to stress management; breathing and mindfulness activities were presented as tools for pilots to “get into the zone” more quickly and stay there longer, thereby improving resiliency, ability to focus and to multi-task.
A relatively novel idea was put forth in the discussion of postflight options: Tongue position and
breathing. Participating panelists included a Dayton-area dentist who specializes in a mouth
appliance that positions the tongue and throat, and reports great results in pain alleviation with his
patients.
Postflight debriefings were mentioned as a possible cause of stress for pilots, with meditation,
yoga and breathing exercises a way of mitigating any stress.
The biggest innovation was seen in the discussion of treatment options. A practitioner
of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture in the Dayton area uses his expertise to find the root cause of patient issues, and it is often not where the problem presents itself. Nutrition was again seen as a huge issue, as pilots function like high-performance athletes and need adequate fuel.
The above examples are only a fraction of the ideas and options shared at the workshop. One of the
hurdles identified was the reluctance to adopt medical practices seen as “other” – not our American
business as usual. The panel felt that adopting terms such as “complementary” and “integrative” as
opposed to “alternative, the term typically used, might reduce Airmen’s hesitance to follow through.
“Next steps” were identified at the end of the two days, with a budget that ensures follow-through.
Without WBI’s connections and understanding of the 711HPW’s needs, this innovative and collaborative
would not have taken place.