Hurting shoulders

“After about 4 hours dayhiking with a rucksack, the outside of my shoulders and biceps start hurting like there's no blood going to them. I've lightened the pack as much as possible to about ~7 lbs + food & water (5-10 lbs depending on the hike). What tricks or techniques do you guys (and gals) use to avoid this. I've been playing with the idea of lumbar/waist pack + small rucksack. Before anybody suggests frame pack, keep in mind that I use a 35-40 liter pack and I have 21" torso, so if your going to recommend one, be specific. current rucksack is an old REI Halfdome.

Thanks,
Markar”

“Markar, I don't even notice this anymore. It's like a bra. When you first start wearing one, it's really annoying, after awhile you hardly even notice it anymore.”

“I don't wear a bra so I'll have to take your word on it, but this has been a problem for several years and multiple packs.”

“Personally, I've never gotten used to either one.”

“...and I've been using both for more than 20 years now...”

“You could need more hip support but I wouldn't know what brand of pack to recommend for you. Try the one that feels best.

Despite the weight are your straps too tight?

Conditioning really helps here. Wear a pack year round whenever you have the chance. In time your shoulders will be able to handle quite a load.

Also, stretch out the arms, shoulders, and back very thoroughly before hiking.”

“sklukaz, Don't even get me started on thong underwear”

“whatever.”

“Ü”

“I don't know what the big deal is. You can get used to thong underwear. I say wear tthe thong go without the bra no onej I know has complained yet.”

“hiking? Ow. You are lible to give yourself a black eye”

“Hey, who said I was hiking?”

“Is there anyplace to hike near Cleveland?”

“Cleveland, he he

I'm drunk

Bye Bye”

“Before this thread degenerates into another jello thread...

I'll try loosening the straps a bit to see if that helps. The bottom of the pack is currently about mid to upper hip level. Would building up strength and size in the pecs and traps help?”

“Oh, I forgot to mention that as of three months ago I was a student who waked 35 minutes to and from campus with a 15 lb pack. With that pack My limit was about 1 1/4 hours.”

“No, try calves, carry the weight in your legs, not on your shoulders”

“NA, calves? I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying.”

“Markar, I have a half dome also. Mine doesnt have a sternum strap,I assume your doesnt also. Try adding on one,this may help to draw the shoulder straps in closer relieving the pressure on your shoulders and arms. I find that with my normal pack i will alternate between using the sternum strap and not,depending on comfort/weight etc.. Hope this helps.”

“Hyperpacker, mine has a sternum strap. Playing with it delays the onset for a while.”

“Markar- I don't understand what you're saying either

get a goddammed hippack, that's what I'm trying to say

I might be drunk, but I'm not stupid

he he
just messing with ya”

“After rereading your previous posts...

Adding some muscle mass to your chest may help...perhaps. I am no sports medicine expert but I would reckon that adding tissue to your chest/shoulders would prevent the straps from digging into the pocket of your shoulder (which I would guess is the problem). I find that with any pack I carry over about 15 lbs I have trouble with minor tingling in my hands and the veins in my arms tend to bulge a bit but I always assumed that this was part of the deal. Sorry that I couldnt help.”

“Nimrod, I'll take your advice to heart. Now, go sleep it off. You be a mean drunk.”

“Thanks for the advice anyway Hyperpacker. I'll go see what I can do.

Markar”

“So what have you got against jello.”

“I prefer a cross the chest bag. I have an old army one with a wide camera strap. It is amazing how much will fit in that thing. You can switch shoulders, carry it in front or in back, lengthen or shorten the strap--really versatile.”

“I have had this problem also, but since I have cut back on pack weight (not as low as yours though!) and learned to transfer most of the weight to my waist belt, no worries.

Funny, but it also seems that using my trekking poles helps too. I think it has to do with the constant movement (use) of my arms while hiking, keeping the straps from just sitting on only one spot of the shoulder.

your mileage may vary...”

“I already know I'm gonna get creamed for this, but that's why framepacks are better for some of us. I still use mine from the Boy Scout days and have had no problems at all. I believe the frame was made by Camp Trails under the Cruiser name, and it's topped with a CANVAS Camper model pack. I treated it with Thompsons a few years ago after the water repellecy was starting to wear off, but it's still fine after 30 years. Try sizing a few of the youth model frames first,, and remember that the back bands are adjustable.I've looked at some of the internal frames, but I'm not impressed, just glorified bag over the shoulders, no real support at all. and with no air circulation either. I pack heavier than most, I like to mix real food in with the dry stuff, and more water too, about 30 lbs is as light as I ever got, and up to 60 lbs in winter.Just remember to keep the weight high, transfer most of the weight to the waistbelt, and have a tumpline too. I just have the shoulder belt's tight enough to keep it forwards, not up, and a tumpline is a kind of a headband arrrangement that lifts the weight off the hips for short intervals, I think only oldtimers like me would remember. The hard part is finding someone who really knows external frames who can go with you to get a good fit, and remember,, the frame is the most importand component, you can mix and match the bags as you wish.”

“Load lifter straps are this girl's best friends.”

“It ain't gonna get any better anytime soon...till ya shift the weight to yer waist (ie. hippack or daypack with a hipstrap).

'Nuff said!”

“When I have to carry any kind of weight in my daypack, I put my jacket and maybe a few other soft items in a full size fanny pack (just to fill it out). I loosen the shoulder straps a little and most of the weight rides on the fanny pack. It's kinda like having a modular I-frame pack.”

“I have thorasic outlet syndrome from nerve damage in my neck from a car accident.

There is a nerve running from your neck down to your collarbone area that controls you bracial(?) artery that runs down your arms. (This is what I've been told - so if there is anyone else out there that can help - jump in)

What happens to me is if I work out my chest and not stretch, sleep wrong, have too much pressure on my shoulders, I loose the circulation in my arms. It runs from not being able to move them to a really painful ache, thingling in my pinky to middle finger. (now you guys know why I work out)

If it feels the same to you- it could definately be the circulation thing. You need a hipbelt and sterum strap to releave the pressure. If you ever had a neck injury - your actions could be triggering the symptoms.”

“Here's a couple of internal frame daypacks that you might want to look into. They both have hip belts and are very comfortable (I have a 21 inch torso also).

Osprey Escapist - 2100 cu. in. capacity, 3 lb. 1 oz. This is the daypack I am using. Got it cheap from Overstocks.com, as it is a discontinued Vector Series 2000 model. Not quite as nice as the current Osprey daypacks, but can't be beat for the $58 I paid for mine.

Osprey Aether 36 - 2400 cu. in., 2 lb. 12 oz. This is the daypack I wish I could afford. The fit is awesome and I really like Osprey's strait jacket load compression design. A tad pricey at about $180.

Either one of these packs would go a long way to ease your pain by moving the load to your hips. Very nice packs if you need the volume they provide. If these packs are too large for your needs, go with a lumbar pack. Good luck!”

“Buddur's right..and Nice too Ü”

“Weight, as such, has little to do with this problem. What you have is a constriction situaltion, which effects both circulation and nerve receptors.

The only long-term solution is a pack with a hip belt. This let's you use the straps merely as load stabilizers, and they don't constrict.

You shouldn't be carrying the pack for more than a hour at a time anyway. When you take your hourly breaks, try doing some stretching and reaching excersizes to restore circulation.”

“A frame pack ois good for this, but I still wouldn't go back to one of those. Someone mentionned the waist belt. Most people I've met with comfort problems had a pack that was poorly adjusted or didn't fit. Usually the waist belt was below the swell of their hips. Adjust the belt BEFORE you tighten the shoulder straps - and kedep the belt tight, stop to adjust whenever you feel the need. Your older style pack might not have the best material or the padding has deteriorated (perhaps). Also a sternum strap (as someone mentionned) is essential. You can retrofit from Cabela's. Happy trails.”

“OK guys I've read through youre posts, so here's the idea. I need to get more weight onto my hips, or specificaly(SP?) off my shoulders. To do this I need a hip belt and a sternum strap. My current pack has a sternum strap which works fine, but the hip belt is about 4" to high to do me any good. I am loathe to buy another pack because of the cost, and because already I have more packs the Imelda has shoes, so here's the plan.

THE GREAT PACK RETROFIT
Stage 1:
Using a old hipbelt from an E-frame that doesn't fit, I will sew buckles and straps onto that and matching ones onto the bottom of the pack. When coupled together they will work like Tilt's fanny+ruck idea. Estimated cost: $5
Stage 2:
A frame will be sewn into the back of the rucksack to give it some sort of structure beyond what the compression straps give it. I'm still looking at the merits of frame sheet vs stays. Estimated cost: $25”

“for $30, you could buy another pack.”

“For $30 I could get another pack, but smaller and lower quality (I paid $48 three years ago for the current pack). The Halfdome is pretty rugged. I suppose I could mail order it, but for items that I need to wear, I prefer to try before I buy. Besides I have three frame packs, four rucksacks, two waist packs, a large duffle, shoulder bag, and a partridge in a pear tree. I don't use most of them, and I don't want anymore.”

“hey!

i have the half dome!

i've used it for 4 day trips, before! what the hell could be wrong with it?”

“4 days!?! We are talking about the 2400 ci frameless rucksack made by REI?

How'd you fit the sleeping bag in it?”

“exactly!

and a 3 day winter trip!

i just put it in the bottom.

all i had on the outside was my groundcloth, sandals (tied to bottom of the square pocket), and hydration bladder (under the little top pocket)!”

“inside the main pack was (from bottom): bag, tent, full length thermarest guidelight, clothes.

food, filter, stove, steel cup, first aid kit went in square pocket.

extras went in little top pocket.”

“it's going out in the woods, and sleeping on the ground.

it ain't rocket science.”

“MaryPhyl, I got a chance to try the across the shoulder bag today at a career fair. Better to carry a bag with a Cisco logo than a Eddie Bauer logo. Not half bad. Cooler than a backpack, but I'll stay with the ruck for heavy loads. Thanks anyway.”