INTRODUCTION

Few studies have been conducted to analyze the effect of load carrying versus non-load carrying on the posture and gait cycle of various subjects. In studying Chinese soldiers it was discovered that the body's center of gravity changes as a result of the position of a load on the soldiers' backs (Lang, 1992). Research on "leg joints" has also shown that the three major joints of the leg create a "leg moment" which is responsible for supporting the body and maintaining locomotion (Simonsen, 1995). In a study of youths carrying different types of book, research showed that the use of a double strapped backpack significantly increased the, "angular motion of the head and trunk," (Pascoe, 1997). In this experiment we aimed to analyze the difference in gait between a hiker carrying a 333.7N load to one limited to their own body weight in order to further increase our knowledge about the biomechanics of hiking.

The purpose of this study was to examine the difference associated with a loaded versus non-loaded subject to address the questions surrounding change in posture and gait. In this study we hope to gather data that gives us information on the stresses of backpacking on the body. With this information, we hoped to gain some insight on the important factors that need to be considered when designing a backpack.