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ridgewalker777
07-30-2004, 16:29
I find my relatively heavy North-Face Rogue pack makes it necessary for me to lean forward. I usually carry 30-40 pounds, and I usually feel some back pain as a result. Are there any good solutions to awkward posture, or is it just part of the unnatural fact of wearing a pack?

Footslogger
07-30-2004, 17:01
It's due to a shift in the center of gravity when you don your pack. Your body has developed with muscles designed to support the spine when walking erect. If you add weight to the equation, especially off centered weight, then the body naturally shifts to accomodate the load and attempts to balance things out. But, since that's not a natural posture for you, certain muscles are getting more of a workout and until they get conditioned to that extra load/varied posture they tend to ache. Stick with it for a while and use ibuprofen to calm the inflamation and reduce the pain. Unless you have a pre-existing back problem you will most likely get used to the forward lean and it won't cause you much grief.

'Slogger
AT 2003

Chip
07-30-2004, 21:57
I don't know how long you have been backpacking ? You might want to look at how you are packing your pack ? Yes, basically the heaviest items should be close to your back and well above the waistline (almost to between the shoulder blades works for me). I have shifted items around until I get the fit and balance I want. Is the Rogue pack an internal or external ? Sorry, I am not familiar with this pack. Anyhow sometimes this can make a diffference. My first pack was an internal. Wow, I thought it was great and it was but my back stayed soaked all the time from perspiration. A friend told me I should try an external pack for better air flow between my back and the pack and the weight distribution would be different and that might be a plus. So I tried one out and what a difference!
I really like that pack ! I use that pack for warm weather hikes. Use the internal in the winter.

Anyhow, just my 2 cents worth. You should not have to lean forward to carry your pack and have pain. Why hike then ?

Good Luck,
Happy Trails, ;)
Chip

Youngblood
07-31-2004, 06:17
I think it is like Footslogger said, to maintain your center of gravity over your feet, you have to lean forward. You lean forward even more with heavier loads or on ascends. You use the muscles in your lower back for this and they sometimes get sore if you over use them. There are lots of exercises you can do before a long hiking trip to help stengthen them. If I am on an exercise program to build up my stamina for hiking, I try to include some specific exercises for my lower back so that I don't have lower back pain when I start hiking.

One thing that I have done to minimize the amount I have to lean forward is to attach my water bottles to the front of my shoulder straps and carry lighter equipment. This puts the weight of the water on my chest and it somewhat balances how much the weight on my back has shifted my center of gravity.

Youngblood