Neck pain and lower back pain are commonly reported by military pilots. That is why the answers to the following questions are important: (1) which part of the back (neck or lumbar spine) is more likely to be painful in military pilots as a result of high G-force, and (2) what intervention methods do pilots use as countermeasures for back pain resulting from high G-force? To answer these questions, the literature was searched in the following online databases: MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase. A meta-analysis of eleven studies on pain in the neck–spine in fighter pilots vs. transport pilots showed pooled pulled OR = 1.69 (95% CI 1.25 to 2.29, I² = 32%, p-value = 0.21); this outcome is consistent with most of the published results. A meta-analysis of five studies on pain in the lumbar spine (lower back) did not show a difference between fighter pilots vs. transport pilots with OR = 1 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.19, I² = 0%, p-value = 0.96). The meta-analysis showed that of the two spinal segments evaluated, it was the cervical spine that showed more soreness in tactical fighter pilots. Prevention of lumbar and neck injuries should be combined with individual lumbar and neck support, as well as increasing back muscle strength through training.

Physical activity offers numerous health benefits but also carries the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, posing a significant health concern across all athletic levels. Understanding specific injury patterns and risk factors is crucial for effective prevention and management of injuries. The study aimed to identify and compare musculoskeletal injury patterns among hospitalized participants with physical activity-related musculoskeletal injuries, including those related to non-sports activities and sports-related injuries. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 8413 participants from an orthopedic trauma center (2013-2023). Cases were categorized as sports-related (n = 1152) or non-sports-related (n = 6968). Propensity score matching was utilized to control for age, sex, and comorbidities. Injury types, locations (International Classification of Diseases-10 codes), participant demographics, hospital stay durations, and surgery rates were analyzed using Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Participants sustaining sports-related injuries were younger (mean age: 34 vs. 45 years; P < 0.001), predominantly male (65 % vs. 57 %, P < 0.001), and had a significantly lower prevalence of hypertension (11 % vs. 21 %), diabetes (4 % vs. 9 %), and osteoporosis (2 % vs. 6 %; all P < 0.05). They also experienced shorter hospital stays (median: 2 vs. 4 days; P < 0.001), with no significant difference in surgery rates compared to the non-sports-related group (P > 0.05). Sports-related activities significantly increased the relative risk (RR) for lower leg injuries (S80-S89; RR = 1.47; 95 % CI, 1.32-1.63) and dislocations or joint sprains (S33, S43, S53, S63, S73, S83, S93; RR = 1.92; 95 % CI, 1.68-2.19), but reduced the risk of wrist and hand injuries (S60-S69; RR = 0.42; 95 % CI, 0.33-0.54) and open wounds (RR = 0.06; 95 % CI, 0.02-0.19). Significant differences in injury patterns and associated risks underscore the need for targeted prevention strategies, especially for younger, physically active populations, to mitigate injury risk and related long-term health impacts.

Background: COVID-19, a global pandemic, has had a profound impact on the world, overwhelming healthcare systems worldwide. These disruptions were associated with significant disparities in healthcare access to routine consultations and elective surgeries, adversely affecting patient health and altering injury patterns in emergency departments. This retrospective observational study aims to compare patient profiles and treatment during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Methods: Patients admitted to the orthopaedic and traumatology department before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The full (unmatched) cohort comprised 8413 patients (6175 before, 1188 during, and 1050 after the pandemic). To ensure balanced comparisons, propensity score matching (1:2, based on age, sex, and comorbidities) was applied separately to the during- and after-pandemic groups, each matched against pre-pandemic controls. Collected information incorporated demographics, comorbidities, and injury circumstances. Results: After matching, the during-pandemic group (1188 patients) was compared with 2376 pre-pandemic controls, and the after-pandemic group (1050 patients) with 2100 pre-pandemic controls. A higher proportion of same-region re-injuries was observed during and after the pandemic, as well as higher medical leave during the pandemic and post-pandemic, and longer hospital stays of over 10 days during the pandemic and post-pandemic. Injury patterns changed, with an increase in lower leg injuries and a decrease in wrist injuries during the pandemic. Additionally, the proportion of open wounds was lower during the pandemic. Conclusions: The pandemic and post-pandemic periods were associated with marked changes in trauma care, including more conservative treatment, fewer surgeries, and longer hospital stays. Same-region re-injuries were more frequent and sports-related injuries less frequent—patterns that temporally coincided with the periods of repeated lockdowns. Notably, differences persisted into the post-pandemic period. Given the retrospective, observational design, these findings represent associations rather than causal effects.