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Lugging Around Back Pain

How to Avoid the Pains of Traveler's Back
by Rich Steck & Judi Janofsky

Raise your hand if you have ever returned from vacation with a sore back, neck or shoulders. If you did, rest assured you're not alone. You may be a victim of what the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) refers to as "luggage-related injuries."

According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, last year more than 53,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices and clinics for luggage-related injuries. How can you avoid this? Start with the old travel adage, "Pack your bags, then take out half." All that extra gear just adds unnecessary weight. How many times have you returned from a vacation and realized you packed things you never got around to wearing or using? Lots of us pack much more than we need forour trips, leaving us to carry luggage that's unnecessarily heavy. If you are one of those people who just can't decide what to take and what to leave at home, the AAOS has some tips to help you transport your luggage safely.

When luggage weight goes up, your risk of muscle strains, pulls and tears increase. Carrying a heavy suitcase for extended periods of time, lifting and holding a bags incorrectly or lifting luggage from overhead or under-seat compartments can cause increased risk of injury. This risk multiples when you've been sitting for long periods of time, especially on a plane.

"Using proper lifting techniques can ensure that your trip isn't cut short by an injury. Even a relatively minor injury, such as a muscle pull to the back, neck or shoulders can be quite painful in the short term and ruin your vacation," said Dr. Robert Hart, an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in spinal problems.

Hart and others from the AAOS offer these strategies to prevent injuries when lifting and carrying luggage:

  • When purchasing new luggage, look for sturdy and light pieces with wheels and handles. Avoid buying any luggage that is heavy and bulky when empty.

  • Pack lightly. When possible, pack items in a few smaller bags instead of one large suitcase. It's better to carry a lighter bag in each hand rather than one heavy bag in one hand.

  • If you must lift heavy luggage, bend at the knees and lift with your legs, not your back or waist. Also, avoid twisting or rotating your spine. Stand beside your suitcase, bend at your knees, then grab the handle and straighten up, carrying luggage as close to your body as you can.

  • Don't rush when lifting or carrying a suitcase. If it's too heavy, or an awkward shape, get help.

  • When placing luggage in an overhead compartment, first lift it onto the top of the seat. Then, with your hands on the left and right sides of the suitcase, lift it up. If your luggage has wheels, put the wheel-side in first. Once wheels are inside, put a hand on top of the luggage and push it to the back of the compartment. To remove the luggage, reverse the process.

  • If using a backpack, make sure it has two padded and adjustable shoulder straps. Choose one with several compartments to secure various-sized items, packing the heavier things low and toward the center. Always wear a backpack on both shoulders - slinging it over one shoulder does not allow weight to be distributed evenly, which can cause muscle strain.

  • If you need to use a duffel or shoulder bag, do not carry it on one shoulder for any length of time. Switch sides often.

  • Carry all rolling luggage up flights of stairs; bending over to pull it up puts your body at a nice position for "luggage-related injury."

In short, pack light and pick up right.