More than half of the world’s air travel is via planes that take off and land in the United States. The airline system that has such a good safety record has generally achieved that goal thanks to numerous innovations and safety standards that apply on board at all times. While safety rules and features can prevent many injuries and accidents, airplanes are not an injury-free zone. Two common injuries during flights are head and neck injuries.
During takeoff and landing, passengers on an aircraft can be thrown forward and then rapidly backward by the movement of the aircraft. This movement is much more possible on landing than on takeoff, but it is not unheard of in other situations. When the head and neck are sent forward and then pushed back rapidly, a whiplash injury is possible.
If the head jumps forward and makes contact with the back of the seat in front of you, a concussion is not ruled out. At the same time, cuts and scratches may also occur, depending on the material of the seat backs.
Injuries occur during landing because landing conditions are not always perfect. In some cases, rain, wind, or some other condition will force the pilot to leave the plane on the runway much more abruptly than he would like. Landing is usually not a pleasant experience, regardless of the skill of the pilot. When conditions or pilot inexperience force a hard landing, it can be extremely painful.
When an injury occurs on a plane, it is important to report it to the flight attendants as soon as possible. This will allow the injured person to fill out an injury report. This report must list the complete story of how the injury occurred. If it was due to tripping over a piece of luggage, that should be stated. A forced landing must also be reported and verified by another person on the plane. It is very likely that if the landing is exceptionally rough, there will be more than one person complaining of neck pain.
After disembarking, anyone with neck or headache pain should probably see a doctor. Most of the time things aren’t too serious, but it’s always best to take as many precautions as possible when it comes to injuries and head and neck pain.