Relationship between load carrying on the head and cervical spondylosis in Ghanaians

West Afr J Med. 1994 Jul-Sep;13(3):181-2.

Abstract

Three hundred and five patients (164 males and 141 females) with mean age 39.9 with standard deviation 7.3 and a range of 29-78 years were involved in a study to find out the relationship between load carrying on the head and cervical spondylosis. Out of 225 patients who carried loads on their head, 143 (63.6%) had cervical spondylosis, and of the 80 people who did not carry load on their head, 29 (36%) had cervical spondylosis. 131 (58%) of those who carried load did so regularly with an average weight of about 15 kg or more over a period 10-15 years or more. It is concluded that cervical spondylosis is not exclusively an ageing phenomenon, but that regular heavy load carrying on the head plays an aetiological role.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cervical Vertebrae*
  • Female
  • Ghana / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography
  • Risk Factors
  • Skull*
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / epidemiology
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / etiology*
  • Weight-Bearing*