Effect of Load Carriage on Upper Limb Performance.

摘要: Carrying heavy backpacks are often associated with shoulder discomfort or pain, loss of sensorimotor functions, and brachial plexus injuries that might hamper performance. On the basis previous research, cause these symptoms could be tissue deformations subclavian artery caused by straps. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate changes in upper extremity hemodynamic neural function assess how they deformation during load carriage. Methods: Ten young healthy adults carried for 45 min a backpack (40% their body weight) while standing freely, followed 15 recovery (unloaded). Index-finger microvascular flow were measured before after carrying load, recovery. The following functions measured: light touch thresholds index finger little finger, forearm thermal sensation thresholds, gross motor function. In addition, marksmanship accuracy, as an indication fine function, was tested. Results: Load carriage resulted average decrease ~40% significant decrement (P < 0.05), but not functions. An increase threshold highly correlated reduced index-finger blood (r = 0.79, P 0.007). These physiological effects functional 34% accuracy target acquisition. Conclusion: Heavy impaired sensitivity which flow.