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I've read that when carrying a heavy backpack, one should distribute the weight evenly between the shoulders and hips by cinching the waist band.
The waist band on most quality backpacks is quite wide and even cushioned for that reason.
It's my opinion that, at least when ascending and descending hills, it's best to carry the weight completely on the shoulders (by keeping the
waist-band loose) so the discs within the spine can absorb the impact shock created by the stride, instead of the lower joints where there is
little means to absorb.
The first image below (courtesy of
http://droualb.faculty.mjc.edu) shows the trapezius muscles of the back and the way they connect to the spine, keeping it aligned when there is
load on the shoulders, and distributing that load evenly to the upper-most vertebrae.
The second image (courtesy of
http://www.nature.com)
shows how intervertebral disc regeneration can occur with increased blood flow and nutrient supply, while degeneration can occur when those are
lacking. The third image is the weighted backpack I now carry, on a 2+ mile hill walk circuit I do for good health (including health of the spine).
Distributing the weight of that backpack entirely on my shoulders is important as doing so makes use of the discs within the spine to absorb the
impact of the stride combined with the weight, and trapezius muscles aid to keep the upper spine supported during the process.
The increased blood flow created by the up/down hill walking, combined with a "bounce" in the stride, forces
blood-carrying nutrients into the disc area incouraging good health of the discs and disc support systems. Carrying the weight evenly distributed
between the shoulders and waist would decrease that affect and increase stress and perhaps even trauma to all joints below the waist area.
my heavy backpack
frame can't handle much more than 110# |
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taking it easy with just 65#
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One of the hills I walk with the backpack.
To keep in shape, I walk 3 hills like this for 2
or more miles daily between mountain-hike times
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