A new study published in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology suggests that hikers should limit the weight of their backpacks to no more than ten percent of their body weight. Researchers tested plantar pressure on 39 recreational hikers and found that once the load crossed that threshold, significant changes occurred in how force moved through the feet.
The researchers recruited participants who were staying at a hostel on the Camino de Santiago, a network of long-distance trails in western Europe, to ensure a real-world context for their data. All of the hikers had walked at least 12.5 miles during the previous 24 hours and carried a pack during that time, meaning their feet were already fatigued before the testing began. The team measured participants’ plantar pressure, or the pressure exerted by their feet onto the ground, using a tool called the Podoprint system, which consists of a flat platform equipped with sensors to detect foot pressure. Santi García-Cremades, a mathematician and associate professor at Miguel Hernández University, led the analysis.
García-Cremades noted that pressure levels rose progressively as the load increased. At a twenty percent body-weight load, total static plantar pressure was nearly ten percent higher than when carrying nothing.
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Immediate and Long-Term Risks
Extra pressure on the feet from wearing a too-heavy pack could cause a number of injuries, from ulcers to plantar fasciitis, Cooper said. The health risks of an overly stuffed backpack can lead to any number of injuries, thereby potentially leading to the hiker quitting their hike and needing to rest for up to six to eight weeks,” he said. “A patient with diabetes may develop a blister, which can transition into a foot ulcer.
This puts their hike in jeopardy but also carries a significant infection risk,” Cooper said. “A patient with a flat arch who is already at risk for plantar fasciitis due to atypical plantar pressure load may have a lower threshold for a flare-up as the backpack weight increases.” If a hiker has osteoporosis (a condition that makes bones weak), a heavy backpack could even cause a stress fracture in the foot, he added.
