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[at-l] Smaller backpack -- back problems

Russ said:

>> I currently carry a North Face Exocet 2000ci backpack.  The attachments to
>> the exterior usually are my z-rest, Western Mountaineer 20* down bag (size
>> of a football) and my Bibler bivy (not much larger than a football).  With
<snip>
>No offense, but no thanks... My back was already broken once...
>I am glad to hear that someone with a history of back problems is out
>hiking.
>There is hope for me yet... (well, maybe after my 1st few electric shock
>treatments...  hmmm, can I bring my portable shock unit on the trail?)

I had back problems--often quite painful--before my thruhike, and since I
got back I've had a lot of back pain. But I had virtually none during the
hike itself. In my case, I have degenerating disks which, combined with
being overweight and not keeping my stomach muscles toned, meant that by
bad back was doing all the work of keeping me upright. It was sometimes
debilitating, and I'd get sciatica.

Interestingly, carrying a heavy (50 pound) pack never hurt my back, though
sometimes lifting it did. I had to find ways of slipping into it by putting
it on a treetrunk, or shelter platform, or something, to avoid the clean
and jerk. Within a month or two, though, my stomach muscles had
strengthened enough so that I could simply lift it onto a raised knee, and
slip into it from there.

What bothered my back during the hike wasn't shelter floors, but rather bad
mattresses at hostels and motels. Soft foam pads, or droopy box springs
were the worst--I often just put my thermarest down on the floor and slept
on that.

I did, however, take a lot of Aleve during the hike--usually two before
bedtime.

Now that I'm back, sleeping on my extrafirm mattress, I'm still having back
problems--muscle spasms. Walking seems to help.


--Rhymin' Worm

(Robert Rubin) GA>ME '97 -- RHYMWORM@MINDSPRING.COM
Newsletter Editor, Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers (PATH) 


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