Pressurized sleeves and gloves for protection against acceleration-inducedarm pain

Background: Acceleration (or G) induced arm pain may develop in centrifuge runs and in flight with low arm position and assisted pressure breathing du ring G (PBG) in combination with an extended coverage anti-G suit. To decre ase this arm pain, pressurized sleeves and gloves were developed. Methods: Eight subjects who earlier exhibited G-induced arm pain were tested on the centrifuge. The G-exposures consisted of a gradual onset run up to a maximu m of +9 Gz, rapid onset runs to +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +8, and +9 Gz and a sim ulated aerial combat maneuver (SACM) with peaks up to +9 Cr. On separate da ys, the subjects were tested without the sleeves and gloves, and with the s leeves and gloves pressurized to a maximum of 40, 60, or 80 mmHg at +9 Gz. The subjects reported their left and right arm pain on a subjective rating scale. Results: G-induced arm pain, usually starting above +6 Gz, was often the reason for termination of the G-exposure without the pressurized sleev es and gloves. The pressurized sleeves and gloves significantly (p < 0.001) decreased arm pain, but no significant difference was found among the diff erent pressures used. Heart rate was not different with and without the pre ssurized sleeves and gloves. Conclusions: The pressurized sleeves and glove s are an effective method to alleviate and sometimes eliminate G-induced ar m pain.