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[pct-l] Numbness



Don,
I've experience the same problem. In my case the tensor fasciae latae on
the side of my left leg starts going numb. I'm sure it's caused by my
hip belt. It also seems to be a function of time. The longer I'm on the
trail, the greater the numbness. It generally takes a few months to get
feeling back. In the worst case (4 weeks on the trail), it took 8 months
for the numbness to entirely go away. Age may be a factor, as I'm in my
50s. However, this started about the time I switched from an external to
internal frame pack. Although the latter is very comfortable and I
wouldn't go back to an external frame, its hip-belt dynamics may be
different such that it's pressing on a nerve to cause the numbness. Now
that you've brought this up, I'm going to try to find a softer hip belt
for next summer.
Good luck with your own efforts.
Ron

> Message: 15
> Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2003 19:09:48 -0700
> From: Don Wilson <dwilsonsprint4@earthlink.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] Numbness
> To: PCT Mailing List <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Message-ID: <A1769AD0-1190-11D8-AB82-000393792E4C@earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
> 
> 
> This summer on the JMT, both my wife and I started getting numb just
> below the hips on the front of our upper legs. This started after
about
> a week on the trail. Certainly this was from our hip belts. We had
> pretty light loads, and small packs - maybe 30 lbs max with food for
me
> and 25 for my wife.  We use different packs and have very different
> builds, so its funny that we both had the same problem. In years of
> hiking, I don't ever remember this happening. Maybe I'm just getting
> old. Actually, there is no maybe about that (I'm 43). We spent 14
> glorious days getting to Whitney and afterwards I had sensations of
> numbness for at least a month, maybe two.  It didn't really bother us
> too much , but got us to thinking about similar problems on a thru
hike
> - although none of the many thru hikers we met mentioned anything
> similar.  Has anyone else had a similar problem?  Any comments on how
> to avoid it?
> I always shift the weight around as I hike - hip belt loose, hip belt
> tighter, no hip belt, etc.
> 
> Thanks,
> Don
>