Cervical spine range of motion in military parachutists compared to a normal population

Neck pain and discomfort are commonly reported among both civilian and military parachutists. Such pain and discomfort can limit an individual’s cervical spine range of motion (CROM). CROM is an important factor in performing typical daily tasks and when limited individuals may compensate by increasing lumbar and thoracic motions that can cause other back problems. This study aimed to compare the CROM of military parachutists to a normal population matched by age group. Data from 18 members of the U.S. Army Parachute Team, The Golden Knights, were collected using the CROM 3 Instrument. A comparison of means was used to analyze each motion between parachutists and non-parachutists for two age groups (20-29 and 30-39 year-olds). Each motion compared was found to be significantly lower (p< 0.05) in the parachutist population across both age groups, except for Left Lateral Flexion in 20-29 year-olds.