Disorientation and postural ataxia following flight simulation

Motion sickness-like symptoms can afflict pilots training in military simulators. This simulator sickness involves symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, eyestrain and disorientation. A simulator sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) with subscales available for each of these dimensions has been developed to assess the problem.

This study examined the hypothesis that there is a strong correlation between the SSQ subscale which summarized self report of disorientation symptoms and an objective measure of post-simulation postural instability.

Data from two Navy simulators were analyzed: Device 2F114, a Weapon System Trainer for the A-6E Intruder, and Device 2F143, an Operational Flight Trainer for the EA-6B. Tests of standing and walking unsteadiness were administered along with the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ).

Significant correlations were found between scores on postural stability tests and the SSQ disorientation subscale scores, but correlations between scores on postural stability tests and the SSQ nausea and oculomotor subscale scores were much weaker and not statistically significant.

These results provide some evidence for the validity of the disorientation subscale of the SSQ and suggest that the postural instability observed after simulator exposure may, in fact, result from disorientation.