Paying attention to how you wear a backpack can help you prevent back and shoulder pain. It's easy to grab your backpack as you head out the door, even simply slinging it on one shoulder. But wearing a backpack wrong can lead to more pressure on the neck, shoulders, and back.
There's no time too young for children or too late for adults to begin creating good habits for backpacking. Learn to put your backpack to be suitable for work, school days out, hiking in the day, and backpacking.
Proper Backpack Fit
Follow these steps to ensure the correct position for your backpack every time you take off your backpack. It is possible to work on these techniques for a few weeks before you can make them an habit.
Always use both shoulder straps instead of slinging your backpack using only one strap on each shoulder. It can take a little longer, but this simple practice will help you avoid problems.
If your backpack is equipped with the chest strap or waist strap, it is recommended to utilize it. They help distribute the weight burden onto the hips, alleviating the pressure on your shoulders. A chest strap assists in keeping the straps on your shoulders in place and minimizes the swaying of the back.
Adjust the shoulder straps to ensure that the backpack sits high on your back and your shoulder straps fit comfortably over your shoulders. The backpack shouldn't be too high above your waist, but it should be a foot or more higher than your hips.
Adjust the straps if you wear different layers of clothing to ensure they're not too tight, nor too loose.
Your backpack shouldn't sway between sides as you stroll. It can result in irritation of the shoulder straps and also from the straps the back rubbing against it. A more stable load is preferable.
When your backpack is properly set up and properly positioned and properly, you should be able to wear it for running, without it moving.
Improper Backpack Fit
There are a variety of ways to carry backpacks that could result in shoulder or back discomfort. Beware of these positions for backpacks.
One Strap Sling Method
It's simple and elegant for you to transport your backpack across one shoulder using just one strap. This position places all of the burden on only one shoulder. You can't walk with a healthy posture while carrying many pounds on just one shoulder.
Researchers from 2013 found that carrying a backpack over one shoulder can result in an insufficient posture and pain at the shoulder, neck and back.1 If you are able to shift it back and forth between shoulders, you're moving off balance. This puts a strain unevenly on the muscles and bones of the body's upper part, including your core and hips.
Make sure you use both straps, and then place the backpack up on the back of the body, so that it doesn't slide with every step.
Lower on the back
A backpack that is that is low on your back can increase the strain on shoulders. This posture can lead to lower back and shoulder strain. It could be that you're doing this because you've been loosening the straps in order to facilitate the process of putting the backpack on and remove it.
This low back posture could cause an forward lean that puts pressure on your lower back. Straps that are loose can cause the pack to move between the two sides as you walk this can be uncomfortable and can result in straps getting irritated and rubbing your shoulders.
