A preliminary report on a new anti-G maneuver.
Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine and Qigong, we designed a new anti-G maneuver, the Q-G Maneuver, which has proved promising. This maneuver consists of volition mobilization, stepwise tensing of leg and abdominal muscles, and maintenance of a shallow thoracic respiration throughout. It was tested on 24 pilots on the ground and 3 pilots on a centrifuge. All pilots were monitored with heart level blood pressure, oximetry, ear lobe pulse, CO2 concentration in exhaled gas, EEG and ECG; in centrifuge runs, peripheral vision was also monitored. Blood pressure was maintained at 180-240 mm Hg for more than 30 s without fatigue. On the centrifuge, the pilots tolerated a G load 2.25-3.0 G higher than without the maneuver, without any visual disturbance. Oximetry readings were 96-97%, and there was no evidence of hyperventilation. The ear lobe pulse was even enhanced during G load with the maneuver. Follow-up visits to 18 out of 24 pilots with 455 inflight applications of the maneuver showed that the maneuver is feasible and can be used effectively during high-G load.
Guo
H Z
HZ
Institute of Aviation Medicine, Air Force, People's Liberation Army of China, Beijing.
Zhang
S X
SX
Jing
B S
BS
Zhang
L M
LM
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006112:Gravitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012119:Respiration