A recent study on ScienceDaily.com warns about carrying hefty backpacks for extended periods of time. Researchers from the Tel Aviv University say that more than just chronic back pains, this may cause nerve damage from the neck, the shoulders, and to the fingers.

Working with combat units who have been complaining about tickling sensations and numbness on their hands and fingers due to heavy loads, researchers used non-evasive biomechanical analysis methods to find how weight affects certain parts of the body.

Based on MRI scans, anatomical computer models were built, revealing that backpack weight is dispersed from the skin to the brachial plexus, which is a bundle of nerves running from the spine, to the neck, and into the arms. Carrying too much weight too often can lead to tissue and nerve damage.

Study co-author Prof. Amit Gefen explains that damage brought about by tension to the brachial plexus “leads to a reduction in the conduction velocity--that is, the speed by which electrical signals are transferred through the nerves.” Over time, the nerves may not be able to communicate actions as fast as they should, which can greatly affect a person’s reaction time.

To avoid this, it’s important to be aware of how much weight you carry on your back and not to do it too often as your lifestyle or occupation permits. For children, getting them trolleys and wheeled bags instead of knapsacks for school is better, since their young bodies are more prone to nerve and tissue damage.

(Photo by Kate T via Flickr Creative Commons)