Flight Surgeon Module B Practice Test

Vibration-related back pain mainly comes from increased joint stiffness due to reflexive muscle guarding around the spine. When the body is subjected to repeated vibrations, the muscles along the lumbar spine contract to stabilize the area, producing greater stiffness in the spinal joints. This protective tightening limits movement and places load on the facet joints and ligaments, leading to discomfort and pain. Nerve root compression would typically present with radiating symptoms down the leg, while a simple muscle strain is usually more localized and tied to a specific lifting or twisting event. Degenerative changes from poor blood supply aren’t driven by vibration exposure.