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Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments that Americans suffer from today. There are a number of factors that contribute to back pain. Bad posture, obesity, poor nutrition, etc.

The problem of lower back pain is also an issue in the aviation industry, more specifically with military and commercial pilots.  Pilots are just as susceptible to lower back pain then the general population due of the nature of their work. Pilots must be confined to a cockpit for hours on end without having the chance to get up and stretch their muscles. Military pilots, especially fighter pilots, engage in high speed aerobatic maneuvers that can put a tremendous amount of stress on the body.

We must also not forget helicopter pilots whose backs are abused due to the vibrations caused by a helicopter’s rotor blades. A 2000 study conducted by the  Flight Safety Foundation reported that a good portion of helicopter and military pilots suffered from lower back pain.

“Of 131 Australian military helicopter pilots responding to a 69-question survey, 16 percent reported back pain associated with flying, 28 percent reported ‘back discomfort’ and 39 percent reported ‘occasional’ back pain. Eighty-five percent of those who reported back pain while flying said that their ailment was related to flying and almost one-third said that flying was detrimental to their health.”

The study also indicated that 13 percent of all U.S. Naval Aviators suffered from lower back pain.  It’s difficult to determine if flying is the sole reason why many pilots suffer from lower back problems. The Flight Safety Foundation study admits this.  However the intense conditions of flying certainly don’t help.

One of the best ways to reduce lower back pain is to equip pilot seats with a proper cushioning system such as the MitiGator. The MitiGator was originally designed for the Cobra attack helicopter and is currently equipped in a number of military and civilian vehicles.

The MitiGator is designed to absorb impacts and vibrations from outside forces. In the case of flying, the MitiGator can protect pilots from the vibrations caused by turbulence, advanced maneuvers, high speeds, and frequent touchdown and landings.  Of course there are other things pilots can do to treat lower back pain such as proper exercise, stretching, good posture, and healthy eating habits.  A combination of protective seating and a healthy lifestyle can help pilots reduce the chance of injury while flying in either military or commercial aircraft.

The MitiGator™ Technology is an engineered cushioning system designed to protect people and equipment from these assaults and to allow them to continue to perform their jobs or enjoy their leisure time. The MitiGator™ uses patented air control technology working with over 4,000 surfaces per square foot to dissipate energy before it is transmitted to the body and thus help alleviate the problems. For more information on the MitiGator Cushioning System email MediaRelations@MitiGatorinc.com

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Make sure you check out what MitiGatorinc.com has going on in 2011!

When the ball drops on 2010 people across the world will be making New Years resolutions, this year mine is to get more in shape (round is a shape right?). The majority of the these New Year’s resolustions will go unfilled, but some dedicated people will actually reach their goals.

In 2011 a good New Years Resolution to make would be to find out how MitiGator can improve your daily life. MitiGator is a engineered cushioning system that is designed to absorb and dissipate the energy from vibrations and impacts. In 2010 we installed it in a variety of applications. Ranging from Shoes, to seats, and even Personal Water Craft gloves.

So take a look at all of your lesiure activities and even your job, how do you feel afterwards? Does your back hurt? Do your feet ache? If you answer yes to these then send me an email (John@MitiGatorinc.com) and I can show you how we can improve your daily life. So make sure you choose MitiGator in 2011!

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A weekend of riding 4-wheelers left me wondering if we are just accepting pain and not doing anything to help prevent it.

This past weekend we celebrated the fourth of July by having a bonfire and of course grilling hot dogs and making smores. My brother’s girlfriend ended up bringing over her 4-wheelers and we had a blast riding them. We rode them so much this past weekend. We went over jumps, of course had a few races. We spent Saturday and Sunday doing a lot of riding on our land. This monday morning I woke up to my back killing me! My arms and back were absolutely on fire. But this got me thinking, “Geeze.. I’ve got to get Mitigator in these seats!”

The seats come off the 4-wheelers pretty easily, and it wouldn’t be very hard at all to install them. The MitiGator would solve the problems with my back from riding the 4-wheeler. But this blog isn’t about how we have engineered 4-wheeler seats installed with MitiGator ( which we could ). But rather it is about no longer accepting the pains that come with our passions. If I rode 4-wheelers all the time and didn’t know that there was a product that I could install in the seats that would eliminate my back pain, I would just assume that my lower back pain is something that I am going to have to get use to if I go riding all day long. But the MitiGator is designed to absorb impacts and vibrations from being absorb through your body. Here’s the kicker, it is another beautiful day here in North Carolina and I can’t even come close to riding again because how bad my back hurts. So imagine being able to install the MitiGator in your seats, or in whatever causes your pain to flair up, and then continue to enjoy your leisure time or get more done at work. So don’t just accept the pain that comes with your work or passions. Contact us today and let us try to to do something to eliminate your nagging pain.

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