New heights: muscle and joint health in the mountain porters of Nepal

Our next research project takes us to Kathmandu

Nepal’s mountain porters are essential to the trekking industry - and famous worldwide for their strength in extreme conditions.

Carrying equipment and supplies for treks and expeditions in the Himalayas, mountain porters regularly carry loads of up to 100kg over long distances. Living in the highest mountains in the world, mountain porters typically have small body frames and yet manage huge physical challenges on a daily basis.

A medical mystery

A Nepalese mountain porter waiting for his MRI scan at the Tesla Centre

The medical world does not understand how the musculoskeletal system enables mountain porters to manage loads in excess of their own bodyweight. To explore how this is possible, Exercise for Science is looking at the role of core body muscles and walking muscles in this athletic community of people. We believe that we could uncover new information that will further the study of muscles and exercise.

By MRI scanning 50 mountain porters, we hope to gain new insights into their muscle structure and strength. The project has been approved by the Nepal Health Research Council and is underway at the Tesla Diagnostic Clinic (3T MRI) in Kathmandu.

The team is using 3T MRI scanners, state of the art imaging protocols and computer processing. The processing element is taking place at University College London and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.

The results of this research will be shared here once complete.

With thanks to Dr Nirmal Neupane, the radiologist reporting the scans and Nirajan Kadel and Ram Silwal, study coordinators in Kathmandu.