In the U.S. Navy, high speed boat (HSB) crewman frequently suffer from lower back pain and accelerated intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. It is believed that this stems primarily from the large vertical accelerations and forces experienced while navigating on the open seas as the boats pitch and crash into the water. In a study of self-reported injuries for HSB operators, 33.6% of these subjects had suffered a lower back injury while on duty3. This is high when compared with the 15 to 20% of adults in the general population who experience low back pain.

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