Helicopter cockpit seat side and trapezius muscle metabolism with night vision goggles.
BACKGROUND
Documented neck strain among military helicopter aircrew is becoming more frequent and many militaries use helicopters that provide pilots with the option of sitting in the left or right cockpit seat during missions.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to use near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to investigate the physiological changes in trapezius muscle oxygenation and blood volume during night vision goggle (NVG) flights as a function of left and right cockpit seating.


METHODS
There were 25 pilots who were monitored during NVG flight simulator missions (97.7 +/- 16.1 min). Bilateral NIRS probes attached to the trapezius muscles at C7 level recorded total oxygenation index (TOI, %), total hemoglobin (tHb), oxyhemoglobin (Hbo2), and deoxyhemo-globin (HHb).


RESULTS
No significant differences existed between variables for pilots seated in the right cockpit seat as compared with the pilots seated in the left cockpit seat in either trapezius muscle (pTOI = 0.72; ptHb = 0.72; pHbo2 = 0.57; pHHb = 0.21).


CONCLUSIONS
Alternating cockpit seats on successive missions is not a means to decrease metabolic stress for helicopter pilots using NVG. This suggests that cockpit layout and location of essential instruments with respect to the horizontal and the increased head supported mass of the NVG may be important factors influencing metabolic stress of the trapezius muscle.
Harrison
Michael F
MF
Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
Neary
J Patrick
JP
Albert
Wayne J
WJ
Veillette
Dan W
DW
McKenzie
Neil P
NP
Croll
James C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000401:Aircraft; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001810:Blood Volume; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003624:Darkness; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D011187:Posture; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D014584:User-Computer Interface
D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen