Backpack as Therapeutic Device

[Viejo]

I am 67 years old and will be attempting my first camino beginning next month. I am not fit, am carrying about 20 extra pounds of belly fat, and have had some disc problems and sciatica which sometimes make walking painful. I began some practice "hikes" a few months ago and was discouraged to find that after about 2 or 3 miles the pain in my hips and legs became increasingly worse. Almost ready to give up the idea of making the long walk, I nevertheless tried some practice hikes while carrying a loaded 15-pound backpack. Much to my surprise, the pain almost disappeared while I was wearing the pack. It must be acting like a brace and somehow allowing the vertebrae to align themselves without pressing on the sciatic nerve. Thanks to this little miracle, I will be on the trail next month and even welcoming the heavy load I'll be carrying. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources...

 

[nidarosa]

I agree, my back hurts a lot more if I walk without a pack! You might want to try walking poles too to take some strain off the legs. If you use them properly they will let you use your upper body to help moving forward. Buen camino!

 

[Viejo]

Thanks, Nidarosa, I will purchase poles before starting out.

 

[nidarosa]

Or just go to a store and try them, see how it feels, and ask the sales assistant to explain how to use them. There is a knack to using them to benefit you, and if not, they are just expensive and heavy and will hinder more than they help. If you find you like or need them you can always pick up a pair in Spain too.

 

[gracethepilgrim]

Yay! At last someone posting about this phenomenon. It happens to me too.
All my back/shoulder etc pains get less and less each day while carrying my pack on caminos.

Of course, I’m sensible and have always used a pack with quality straps (esp. hip belt) and now swear by the Aarn. Oneplanet was also great.

I don’t overload and although I've never actually weighed it, I suspect I walk with around 10-12 kgs (incl water). I agree with @Viejo that it takes the pressure off the spine and relieves my L5/S1 compression pain. Worth a try.

 

[Barbara Forshay]

I am 67 years old and will be attempting my first camino beginning next month. I am not fit, am carrying about 20 extra pounds of belly fat, and have had some disc problems and sciatica which sometimes make walking painful. I began some practice "hikes" a few months ago and was discouraged to find that after about 2 or 3 miles the pain in my hips and legs became increasingly worse. Almost ready to give up the idea of making the long walk, I nevertheless tried some practice hikes while carrying a loaded 15-pound backpack. Much to my surprise, the pain almost disappeared while I was wearing the pack. It must be acting like a brace and somehow allowing the vertebrae to align themselves without pressing on the sciatic nerve. Thanks to this little miracle, I will be on the trail next month and even welcoming the heavy load I'll be carrying. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources...

Excellent!!!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi viejo,

I have occasional lower back pain and my experience is the same as yours. So long as the pack has a good internal frame, it will actually transfer the weight to your hips. And maybe that weight placement works wonders on your discs.

Good to see this post because I've read a lot of posts from people with back problems who are looking for companies to transport their packs. If they let the company carry their good pack and carry a day pack without any internal support or belts, they may wind up with more pain than if they had carried the fully loaded properly fitted pack.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, and never know that the pack may have improved things!

I used to have back problems but I haven't for years. The first Camino seemed to cure it. Getting fitter, hard beds, who knows?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I gave up backpacking thirty years ago because of a bad lower back and a doctor's urging. I tried it again twenty years ago, and found the stress did not cause pain in my back! I don't take doctor advice anymore on such matters without independently testing it! If your back feels OK with a pack, you will be just fine. As to the therapeutic benefits of wearing one, I cannot guess on that one; using any muscle will improve it, but pain probably is not coming from muscles. Using the muscles may aggravate join issues. It is pretty individual.

 

[2sassytravelers]

I am 67 years old and will be attempting my first camino beginning next month. I am not fit, am carrying about 20 extra pounds of belly fat, and have had some disc problems and sciatica which sometimes make walking painful. I began some practice "hikes" a few months ago and was discouraged to find that after about 2 or 3 miles the pain in my hips and legs became increasingly worse. Almost ready to give up the idea of making the long walk, I nevertheless tried some practice hikes while carrying a loaded 15-pound backpack. Much to my surprise, the pain almost disappeared while I was wearing the pack. It must be acting like a brace and somehow allowing the vertebrae to align themselves without pressing on the sciatic nerve. Thanks to this little miracle, I will be on the trail next month and even welcoming the heavy load I'll be carrying. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources...

My pack weighed about 19 Lbs and my wife's about 15. And in the end there still were things we wished we would have left behind. Just remember the old George Carlin joke about "Our Stuff". The Camino is not the AT or the PCT. Buen Camino

 

[susanawee]

I am 67 years old and will be attempting my first camino beginning next month. I am not fit, am carrying about 20 extra pounds of belly fat, and have had some disc problems and sciatica which sometimes make walking painful. I began some practice "hikes" a few months ago and was discouraged to find that after about 2 or 3 miles the pain in my hips and legs became increasingly worse. Almost ready to give up the idea of making the long walk, I nevertheless tried some practice hikes while carrying a loaded 15-pound backpack. Much to my surprise, the pain almost disappeared while I was wearing the pack. It must be acting like a brace and somehow allowing the vertebrae to align themselves without pressing on the sciatic nerve. Thanks to this little miracle, I will be on the trail next month and even welcoming the heavy load I'll be carrying. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources...

It was the same for me....I really came to love my backpack because the chronic pain I have in my back became so much less whilst wearing the pack....

 

[J F Gregory]

I have had two back surgery's in the past and I awaken each morning in pain. I was concerned about my back on the walk and at about 15 lbs. including water. Once I started carrying my pack my back seeme3d ok. My Dr. said it probably helps the posture and improves it . We start walking from SJPDP this coming Saturday the 17th of March.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

This is incredible, I'm glad those of you that had back pain did not give up... I don't have back problem and I don't want one. My wife on the other hand does, I will let her know this, she may want to give it a try.

Buen Camino

 

[Mudcrone]

I am 67 years old and will be attempting my first camino beginning next month. I am not fit, am carrying about 20 extra pounds of belly fat, and have had some disc problems and sciatica which sometimes make walking painful. I began some practice "hikes" a few months ago and was discouraged to find that after about 2 or 3 miles the pain in my hips and legs became increasingly worse. Almost ready to give up the idea of making the long walk, I nevertheless tried some practice hikes while carrying a loaded 15-pound backpack. Much to my surprise, the pain almost disappeared while I was wearing the pack. It must be acting like a brace and somehow allowing the vertebrae to align themselves without pressing on the sciatic nerve. Thanks to this little miracle, I will be on the trail next month and even welcoming the heavy load I'll be carrying. Sometimes help comes from unexpected sources...

I have had a similar experience. I'm walking my fifth Camino this year. I've had back problems for years and have arthritis all down my spine. My back doesn't bother on the Camino. I've discussed this with my back doctor, my chiropractor and my massage therapist. The two ideas that emerged is the brace theory and/or that the pack itself, because of the hip belt, provides some traction.

 

[Martyduc]

I'm in full agreement ,,,,, walked Pamplona to santiago last sept/ oct carrying about 8.5 kg all the way and my back and arthritis felt much better,,, yes

 

[gerardcarey]

Another in full agreement.
When I start each morning I quote to myself what has become my mantra.
"Head up! Shoulders back! Open your chest! Slow down! This is not a race!" (When I first start a Camino I need to quote this three or four times a day to train myself to maintain this posture)
I am also positive my pacer poles aid in maintaing this posture.
Regards
Gerard

 

[John Summerhawk]

This is great news to me since I have blown discs. We shall test out this Camino miracle.

 

[homebuilt]

You can add me to the list of people who has back, hip and knee problems whos aches and pains disappear when walking with a pack. As mentioned good posture must been one of the reasons.

 

[jo webber]

"Head up! Shoulders back! Open your chest! Slow down! This is not a race!"

I say the exact same thing to myself each day of my practice walks!!!! The "This is not a race." must be repeated several times Once I hit my stride all is good, then I must remember to slow it down after the first couple of miles.

The pack, right next to my spine, works wonders for my compressed disks.

 

[Martyduc]

I'm in full agreement ,,,,, walked Pamplona to santiago last sept/ oct carrying about 8.5 kg all the way and my back and arthritis felt much better,,, yes

And just finished more Camino this year!!!did about 550 kms with my pack!! Down to about 7.5 kgs now and no back problems at all ...Feels strange now without pack