Carry a backpack?

Unless you are a great compensator, like some limb amputees seem to be (see yesterdays post), be prepared for some changes in your gait. During some of our “backpack” research for yesterdays post, we turned up this full text article:

“In conclusion, college students currently carry too much weight in their backpacks. The average weight carried by UVU students caused an increase in trunk flexion regardless of age, gender or year in school. The load carried in the backpacks also slowed gait velocity, increased time spent in double support, and with the messenger bags caused a change in the right foot angle implying that the hip was rotated due to the contralateral bag placement. In an effort to avoid such potentially harmful conditions, college students should avoid using messenger bags, should always follow the manufacturer settings for proper bag positioning, and carry less weight in their backpacks.”

https://www.western.edu/sites/default/files/page/docs/jensen.et_.al_.spring.2014.pdf