Training Plates for Balance

[Oneshotscott]

 I don't mean any disrespect to anyone when I say this but the average airsoft plate carrier/chest rig doesn't weight that much when its fully loaded with water, mags, misc items and should not result in back pain (I'm talking for a grown man here).  I would strongly advise that you take a minute to call your GP and see a physio regarding this.  Shifting the weight from the shoulders to elsewhere is a quick fix, as is reducing the weight but non of these will ultimately clarify what the root cause is of this pain.   Airsoft or not you have an problem with your back and if not fixed now...well it could creep up on you and become a game/hobby ending injury.

Be wise and call your GP.  It isn't like we can actually play airsoft at the moment is it?  I hope you receive the treatments necessary to return your back to full health/strength so we can all shoot you on site one day (not in the back though..)

 

[Lozart]

 I don't mean any disrespect to anyone when I say this but the average airsoft plate carrier/chest rig doesn't weight that much when its fully loaded with water, mags, misc items and should not result in back pain (I'm talking for a grown man here).  I would strongly advise that you take a minute to call your GP and see a physio regarding this.  Shifting the weight from the shoulders to elsewhere is a quick fix, as is reducing the weight but non of these will ultimately clarify what the root cause is of this pain.   Airsoft or not you have an problem with your back and if not fixed now...well it could creep up on you and become a game/hobby ending injury.

Be wise and call your GP.  It isn't like we can actually play airsoft at the moment is it?  I hope you receive the treatments necessary to return your back to full health/strength so we can all shoot you on site one day (not in the back though..)

Hey man, thanks for your concern (genuinely).

Your point is very valid so let me address it. I'm 50, overweight and not as fit as I still think I am (I used to be a contender!!!!). I have a number of ongoing musculoskeletal problems that I've had regular treatment for, some of which may be exacerbated by my weight but most of which aren't. For example, my lower back is buggered as a result of spending the vast majority of my career sat at a desk/in a car/on a cable drum with a makeshift table on site. When I discussed it with my osteopath (check him out, he knows his shit https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-harrison-94a34728/) I asked if my weight was the issue and he said that it was maybe 5-10% of the problem. Sitting at a desk fucks you up, fact. I also have ongoing neck and shoulder issues from multiple car crashes and mountain biking injuries. I have buggered knees from years of cycling in old school clipless pedals that didn't allow for enough movement of the foot on the pedal and an imbalance between the inner and outer muscles in my thigh which pulls the kneecap out of alignment. The one issue I do get that's entirely weight related is plantar fasciitis and that is well under control.

So yes, there are medical issues that I'm trying to alleviate by looking at how the balance of my kit can be improved while also addressing the underlying causes. One of the main things that physios and osteopaths will drive into you regarding loads is to make sure they're evenly spread (backpack instead of a shoulder bag for example), particularly if the pain is coming from being uneven not just from being too heavy. My  reasoning on the plates was along the lines of putting a single plate of an equivalent weight to the gear on my front into my back plate pocket to even it out and remove that imbalance. Now, we're not talking about a lot of weight here (maybe 1.5kg) but in pure mechanical terms a load doesn't have to be unbalanced by much to create a problem.

Anyway, thanks to all for your input. I have lots of info there to go away and mull over!