Trudging from place to place with heavy weights on our backs is
an everyday reality, from schoolchildren toting textbooks in
backpacks to firefighters and soldiers carrying occupational
gear. Muscle and skeletal damage are very real concerns. Now Tel
Aviv University researchers say that nerve damage, specifically
to the nerves that travel through the neck and shoulders to
animate our hands and fingers, is also a serious risk. Prof.
Amit Gefen of TAU's Department of Biomedical Engineering and
Prof. Yoram Epstein of TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, along
with PhD student Amir Hadid and Dr. Nogah Shabshin of the
Imaging Institute of the Assuta Medical Center, have determined
that the pressure of heavy loads carried on the back have the
potential to damage the soft tissues of the shoulder, causing
microstructural damage to the nerves. The result could be
anything from simple irritation to diminished nerve capacity,
ultimately limiting the muscles' ability to respond to the
brain's signals, inhibiting movement o