[pct-l] Backpacking with a cervical disc herniation

[jjolson at uwyo.edu (Jeffrey J. Olson)]

A week prior to what ended up being a 30 day section hike my girlfriend who
worked in an adolescent crisis center had a young fellow open up a solid
door as hard as he could into her forehead.

Her's was a neck injury, a kind of whiplash.  The doctor didn't see how
hiking could hurt it.

Two weeks into the trip the pain subsided, and was gone for good a week
later.  She told the doctor about this and he got all excited.  Apparently
her pack, which was way too heavy, acted as a kind of traction, the shoulder
straps pulling equally on her shoulders, making her neck do constant, low
stress work.  He talked about writing an article about the benefits of
backpacking to this type of injury...

Jeff Olson
Laramie, Wyoming...