Pressurized sleeves and gloves for protection against acceleration-induced arm pain

Acceleration (or G) induced arm pain may develop in centrifuge runs and in flight with low arm position and assisted pressure breathing during G (PBG) in combination with an extended coverage anti-G suit. To decrease this arm pain, pressurized sleeves and gloves were developed.

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 maximum of +9 G2, rapid onset runs to +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +8, and +9 Gz and a simulated aerial combat maneuver (SACM) with peaks up to +9 Gz. On separate days, the subjects were tested without the sleeves and gloves, and with the sleeves 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.

G-induced arm pain, usually starting above +6 Gz, was often the reason for termination of the G-exposure without the pressurized sleeves and gloves. The pressurized sleeves and gloves significantly (p < 0.001) decreased arm pain, put no significant difference was found among the different pressures used. Heart rate was not different with and without the pressurized sleeves and gloves.

The pressurized sleeves and gloves are an effective method to alleviate and sometimes eliminate G-induced arm pain.