3 ms·

I had a colleague who was an Air Force neurologist during the Vietnam era. His main job was to study pilots' EEGs to make sure they had a very low risk of epile

I had a colleague who was an Air Force neurologist during the Vietnam era. His main job was to study pilots' EEGs to make sure they had a very low risk of epilepsy (because, of course, having a seizure in a fighter jet is very very bad). Well, back in those days, boxing was part of the training, even for pilots who would never see hand-to-hand combat. My colleague found that pilots who had their EEG scans after a boxing class were far more likely to show epileptiform brain activity.

bee_rider 3y ago
Since Air Force pilots are officers, they should have been given a more aristocratic marital art, like fencing. Saber fencing especially is pretty quick. Which is probably what they’d like—at least, I don’t think the Air Force would like to promote a mentality of taking a few hits and slugging through.
- 082349872349872 3y ago
  Sabre (the wrong decision now beats the right one later) would be more air cav? I think the Air Force would prefer epée (full court press: first mistake loses).
- analog31 3y ago
  Unfortunately the most aristocratic art has the most concussions -- horseback riding.
  - QuercusMax 3y ago
    At least those are generally accepted as a terrible accident, and not an expected and accepted part of the sport.
    - 082349872349872 3y ago
      Ian Millar (who represented Canada in the 10 Games of 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012) shows that unlike boxing and bull riding, most equestrian disciplines don't involve hoping to retire before the brain damage catches up with you. (also my understanding of the curve, based on our national level hospital statistics, is that a substantial fraction of the really bad wrecks happen to people with under 500 hours)
    - HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
      mmm. Depends on what you consider the "sport." My wife's a horse trainer. I could go down a long list of injuries of various severity that she's suffered over the years. There's at least one concussion (that I know of!) in there and a solid whack to the face that drew lots of blood but no other noticeable injury. And that reminds me of the software developer I used to work with who was also previously a horse trainer but switched to software after being run over and breaking five ribs. Unfortunately, this stuff is considered expected and accepted [shrug].
      - QuercusMax 3y ago
        I'm assuming most riders aren't trainers, though. That seems like a different and likely riskier activity than riding an already-trained horse?
        HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
        One can only hope :-) Then again, I knew someone whose wife did intake at a nearby ER and pretty much all of their equine-related injuries came from the same trail riding outfit nearby!
  - 082349872349872 3y ago
    ¿porque no los dos? https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/37431/traite-d-escrime-equestre-redige-par-pierre-de-coubertin-et-louis-pascaud?_lg=en-GB https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/37431/trai... (I have heard that WWI era air bases had signs "no spurs in the cockpit" but am not sure that these aren't just modern retconned "collectibles")
- rm_-rf_slash 3y ago
  The common joke in the military is that the Air Force builds the golf course before the runway.
- kasey_junk 3y ago
  I got a concussion one time during a saber match when my opponent “accidentally” hit me in the side of the head with the guard after the pass… But I’m very unlucky with concussions. I once got one in a swim meet for running head first into the wall. So ymmv.
- HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
  As long as it's not Kendo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo). Back when I trained, I remember going home with headaches because as senior student, my job was basically to stand in front of a line of junior students who took turns whacking me in the head :-)
psunavy03 3y ago
And this is why aviators have a truism: you can't win at Medical. You can only break even (walk out with the same medical clearance you had when you came in) or lose (walk out without it).

bee_rider 3y ago

Since Air Force pilots are officers, they should have been given a more aristocratic marital art, like fencing. Saber fencing especially is pretty quick. Which is probably what they’d like—at least, I don’t think the Air Force would like to promote a mentality of taking a few hits and slugging through.

082349872349872 3y ago
Sabre (the wrong decision now beats the right one later) would be more air cav? I think the Air Force would prefer epée (full court press: first mistake loses).
analog31 3y ago
Unfortunately the most aristocratic art has the most concussions -- horseback riding.
- QuercusMax 3y ago
  At least those are generally accepted as a terrible accident, and not an expected and accepted part of the sport.
  - 082349872349872 3y ago
    Ian Millar (who represented Canada in the 10 Games of 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012) shows that unlike boxing and bull riding, most equestrian disciplines don't involve hoping to retire before the brain damage catches up with you. (also my understanding of the curve, based on our national level hospital statistics, is that a substantial fraction of the really bad wrecks happen to people with under 500 hours)
  - HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
    mmm. Depends on what you consider the "sport." My wife's a horse trainer. I could go down a long list of injuries of various severity that she's suffered over the years. There's at least one concussion (that I know of!) in there and a solid whack to the face that drew lots of blood but no other noticeable injury. And that reminds me of the software developer I used to work with who was also previously a horse trainer but switched to software after being run over and breaking five ribs. Unfortunately, this stuff is considered expected and accepted [shrug].
    - QuercusMax 3y ago
      I'm assuming most riders aren't trainers, though. That seems like a different and likely riskier activity than riding an already-trained horse?
      - HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
        One can only hope :-) Then again, I knew someone whose wife did intake at a nearby ER and pretty much all of their equine-related injuries came from the same trail riding outfit nearby!
- 082349872349872 3y ago
  ¿porque no los dos? https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/37431/traite-d-escrime-equestre-redige-par-pierre-de-coubertin-et-louis-pascaud?_lg=en-GB https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/37431/trai... (I have heard that WWI era air bases had signs "no spurs in the cockpit" but am not sure that these aren't just modern retconned "collectibles")
rm_-rf_slash 3y ago
The common joke in the military is that the Air Force builds the golf course before the runway.
kasey_junk 3y ago
I got a concussion one time during a saber match when my opponent “accidentally” hit me in the side of the head with the guard after the pass… But I’m very unlucky with concussions. I once got one in a swim meet for running head first into the wall. So ymmv.
HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
As long as it's not Kendo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo). Back when I trained, I remember going home with headaches because as senior student, my job was basically to stand in front of a line of junior students who took turns whacking me in the head :-)

psunavy03 3y ago

And this is why aviators have a truism: you can't win at Medical. You can only break even (walk out with the same medical clearance you had when you came in) or lose (walk out without it).