OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between load-carrying on the head and the development of degenerative change in the cervical spine. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A case-control study was performed with 35 individuals who had carried loads on their head (carriers) and 35 persons who never had carrier loads on their head (non-carriers). A scoring system was utilized for the assessment of the degenerative change in the cervical spine at the C3/C4, C4/C5, C5/C6 and C6/C7 levels on lateral cervical spine radiography. A total score was calculated by summing the scores for the single segments. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In 31 of the 35 (88.6%) carriers degenerative change was found in the cervical spine, but only in 8 of the 35 (22.9%) non-carriers (P < 0.01). The total score and the scores for segments C4/5, C5/C6 anc C6/C7 were significantly higher for the carriers than the non-carriers. It is concluded that the axial strain of load-carrying on the head exacerbates degenerative change in the cervical spine.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between load-carrying on the head and the development of degenerative change in the cervical spine. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A case-control study was performed with 35 individuals who had carried loads on their head (carriers) and 35 persons who never had carrier loads on their head (non-carriers). A scoring system was utilized for the assessment of the degenerative change in the cervical spine at the C3/C4, C4/C5, C5/C6 and C6/C7 levels on lateral cervical spine radiography. A total score was calculated by summing the scores for the single segments. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In 31 of the 35 (88.6%) carriers degenerative change was found in the cervical spine, but only in 8 of the 35 (22.9%) non-carriers (P < 0.01). The total score and the scores for segments C4/5, C5/C6 anc C6/C7 were significantly higher for the carriers than the non-carriers. It is concluded that the axial strain of load-carrying on the head exacerbates degenerative change in the cervical spine.
Authors: Peter Sang Uk Park; William Y Raynor; Navpreet Khurana; Yusha Sun; Thomas J Werner; Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen; Abass Alavi; Mona-Elisabeth Revheim Journal: Quant Imaging Med Surg Date: 2022-06
Authors: Jo-Anne Geere; Jamie Bartram; Laura Bates; Leslie Danquah; Barbara Evans; Michael B Fisher; Nora Groce; Batsirai Majuru; Michael M Mokoena; Murembiwa S Mukhola; Hung Nguyen-Viet; Phuc Pham Duc; Ashley Rhoderick Williams; Wolf-Peter Schmidt; Paul R Hunter Journal: J Glob Health Date: 2018-06 Impact factor: 4.413