DEGENERATIVE CHANGE IN THE CERVICAL-SPINE AND LOAD-CARRYING ON THE HEAD

Objective. To evaluate the relationship between load-carrying on the h ead and the development of degenerative change in the cervical spine. Design and subjects. A case-control study was performed with 35 indivi duals who had carried loads on their head (carriers) and 35 persons wh o never had carrier loads on their head (non-carriers). A scoring syst em was utilized for the assessment of the degenerative change in the c ervical spine at the C3/C4, C4/C5, C5/C6 and C6/C7 levels on lateral c ervical 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 spin e, but only in 8 of the 35 (22.9%) non-carriers (P<0.01). The total sc ore and the scores for segments C4/5, C5/C6 anc C6/C7 were significant ly higher for the carriers than the non-carriers. It is concluded that the axial strain of load-carrying on the head exacerbates degenerativ e change in the cervical spine.