Carrying things on your head

This started in the Tool thoughts for women thread, someone said she carried things on her head, and a couple others chimed in they do too. I always carry things on my head, I have back damage, and carrying things in front of me is incredibly painful, whereas balancing them on the center of my body keeps the muscles balanced, and the pain away.

I was at the post office a while back, had a box delivered that was lightweight but really large. I swung it up on my head, to the startlement of the other people in there, and carried it out. In the parking lot an older man said "It's neat to see someone doing that, that's how people always carried things when I was young, my grandma carried all kinds of things on her head! I wonder why people quit?" Good question. I think it's got to do with too many people don't carry much, and because they learned no skills for doing so, they do it badly and often get hurt. Not sure, but that's my theory. It was lost as a skill, now it's considered odd, when throughout history it was normal. Think how much weight a Sherpa can carry on his head, up Mount Everest. Think of all the women who carried or still carry water jugs on their heads daily.

I made some padded rings long ago to pad and stabilize the load on my head but rarely remember to have them when I need them.  Not even sure where they are right now.

Do you carry things on your head? Have any tricks to do it well?

Hi Pearl,
I have carried things on my head, but I don’t have enough experience to give advice.

I carried a closed 5 gallon container of water.  Many of the other women carried open containers of water.  I find that really impressive!

One good thing I can say is that it’s very good for your posture and pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.

I watch a lot of reality TV.  There is a textile ring that is used to carry heavy objects on the head.

Many cultures use this textile ring made from fabric folded and twisted into a doughnut shape, this is allowing for better distribution of weight and cushioning on the head when carrying heavy loads.

Anne Miller wrote:There is a textile ring that is used to carry heavy objects on the head.

In Portugal they are called rodilhas and every rural Portuguese woman has one hanging near the door ready to grab on the way out to fetch something.

Here's mine...



But they are also improvised on the spot as needed, because so many rural women also wear headscarves.  I admit that I wore this one specially to show you how improvise them because the one I usually wear is a different type that doesn't lend itself to turning into a rodilha, but this is how I was taught by neighbour to make one.

This is me fetching a bundle of sticks for the fire, which are traditionally carried on your head.



Take one headscarf, thusly...



Twirl it round and round, making a long, fat-bellied rope.



Form the fattest bit into a small padded wheel shape.



Wrap one of the ends round and round the rim of the wheel, fattening up the thinner bits as you do so.



Repeat with the other end, going the other way until you get a fairly uniform doughnut-shaped pad to put on your head.



There, that's about it.



Then place it on the crown of your head. It works a bit like a horse's saddle - all the weight is on the padded bit with none on the actual crown, or spine if you are horse. And you are ready to carry stuff in a way that improves your spine instead of twisting it up.



There, I've carried it to the far end of the terrace and the muscles in my upper back are telling me that that's quite enough for the first day.

So it's his turn now. Men here don't seem to use rodilhas, that I've seen anyway, so I'll reclaim the headscarf.



That track's steeper than it looks and I tend to slide on the loose sandy stuff. That's my excuse for letting him do it. Nothing to do which achey muscles, honest...

Maybe I'll risk it next time...

The rodilhas themselves are considered a craft form locally.

This video is in Portuguese but the visuals tell the story well enough.



Children are given the chance to learn the old craft.



And if get caught out with no rodilha and no headscarf, here's another alternative using bracken.

I learned how to do this from my time in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, where it is the normal habit (as well as in much of the rest of the world from what I can read and see, except America).  I found I could carry a given load about twice as far or long on my head as I could on my shoulder, either with or without a cushion of some kind.  I've commonly used my shirt or a handkerchief or something just as a pad, but I like the round doughnut idea which makes a lot of sense!  Moving house has recently taught me how good this idea is for getting stuff in and out of an attic....since the object is in line with the rest of me and is at the highest point....going up, it's easy to slide a box off to the side as soon as it clears the doorway, before I am anywhere near the top of the ladder.   The one challenge with head-carrying is actually getting the item up there...

Burra: The rodilhas look exactly what what I make. It's easily the most rational way to do it.  I don't tend to wear a headscarf, but I have also improvised one with a sweat shirt or, if it's cold, take off my warm top layer, take off my undershirt, put my warm layer back on, use the undershirt for a ring.

Alder: Yeah, getting it up there is often the trick. I have been working with other people on days I hurt, and I get others to put it up on my head, then I can carry it. I also tend to get things up onto a higher level first, like a countertop, or the hood of the truck, then bend over, put it against my head, and straighten up, adjusting it as I stand up straight.

If I have it up there 98% of the time I'll be able to take it where I want, the other 2% I aim for making it a controlled fall as it ditches :D
Ah well, it happens!!

What advice would you give people wanting to begin caring things, this way? I can't help thinking the rings would be particularly important, but how does one decide how big in diameter and thickness? Is it best to have several, in varying sizes? Is there some method to strengthening the muscles to safely and efficiently carry on the head? Are there any precautions, beyond the obvious ones (I'd think things like carrying sharp objects or things with sharp corners, it would be obvious to take extra precautions or just not do it, lol)? My head is more oval than round - would that make a difference in needed size/ shape of the ring?

Carla Burke wrote:What advice would you give people wanting to begin caring things, this way? I can't help thinking the rings would be particularly important, but how does one decide how big in diameter and thickness? Is it best to have several, in varying sizes? Is there some method to strengthening the muscles to safely and efficiently carry on the head? Are there any precautions, beyond the obvious ones (I'd think things like carrying sharp objects or things with sharp corners, it would be obvious to take extra precautions or just not do it, lol)? My head is more oval than round - would that make a difference in needed size/ shape of the ring?

Good questions!
First off, start by carrying LIGHT things, get your body used to the idea. Under 5 pounds is a good start if you really aren't sure, a gallon of water or milk is 7 pounds, that might be a good start point. Light bulky stuff is good to practice with too, gets you used to not being able to move your head to look down while walking. Treat it like exercise, start slow, account for bulk, weight, and your own balance and footing before you go up a level in it. Advance slowly through increasing, rather than hurting yourself. Because you CAN hurt yourself badly if you don't. Putting something too heavy on neck muscles that are not strange enough to hold them up is GOING to cause neck injury of some sort, possibly very bad. GO SLOW, DO IT CAREFULLY!! I am casual about it, but I have been doing it all my life. I delivered Girl Scout Cookies out of boxes carried on my head! My muscles are used to it.

The rings are soft, they are to increase the contact space with the head, and improve balance of the load mostly, they don't pad your head so much as keep the force from being concentrated on one area at the top of the head. Basic soft O's shape themselves as needed, we all have oval, not round heads. I have a ring I made that has a solid center that is padded for things that hurt, I have a container I carry weeds in a lot that has a sharp center point, I use it for things like that. Because that ring cannot flex to oval, I made it more oval. The round ones that have no filler though, they flex on their own.

Carla, did you ever hear of walking with a book on your head?  That is also a good starting place, meets all of Pearl’s advice.

And though you won’t need the rodihas, it will also give you a chance to see how much more stable the load on your head is WITH it.

It’s a matter of gaining familiarity with the variables, not just cognitively, but your body knowledge of the laws of classical physics, and building up experience.

Hi, Thekla. Yup, of course. But, I always sucked at it, lol. I was thinking the rodihas would make it easier.

I admit it looks cool to see women (mostly?) balancing rather heavy loads on their heads.

Here's the contrarian view from a semi-retired wilderness backpacker. The hip bones, leg muscles, and supporting abdominal muscles is the best place on the human animal to handle significant weight. The spine just can't take it without damage, and that may not show up for many years. But ask anyone with back problems and, frankly, they will yell at you -- don't freaking do that!

I imagine walking with very light loads on the head would be great for posture -- it's a balance thing. My 2c.

Carla Burke wrote:Hi, Thekla. Yup, of course. But, I always sucked at it, lol. I was thinking the rodihas would make it easier.

It probably will!😀

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I admit it looks cool to see women (mostly?) balancing rather heavy loads on their heads.

Here's the contrarian view from a semi-retired wilderness backpacker. The hip bones, leg muscles, and supporting abdominal muscles is the best place on the human animal to handle significant weight. The spine just can't take it without damage, and that may not show up for many years. But ask anyone with back problems and, frankly, they will yell at you -- don't freaking do that!

I imagine walking with very light loads on the head would be great for posture -- it's a balance thing. My 2c.

Hi Douglas
I just have to clarify, who are these people with back problems you speak of who would recommend against the practice of carrying burdens on our heads?

Certainly not the hundreds if not thousands of generations of humans from non industrialized societies, who ate non industrialized diet all their lives.  And routinely carried burdens on their heads.

This is an activity used by humanity throughout our history.  Modern people in the USA with back problems had multiple contributing factors for their pain.  Diet, sedentary life style, poor body mechanics, sports that injure the body and so on

To take up the practice midlife would require gradual adoption of the practice, but the way bones develop, even in “old” people, with adequate nutrition, bones reshape themselves in response to how they are loaded.

If I, at 73 and 25/26 😉, began with a small weight on my head, and practiced regularly just like when a person starts any new exercise program, increased the weight and length of time, it would totally reshape my abdominal musculature.

I’m crazy not to!

I believe there's also evidence that load-bearing exercise/work strengthens the bones, helping to allay osteoporosis. Considering the spine is the first thing to begin to collapse, it would make sense that doing work that would increase the strength and density of the bones of the spinal column could be helpful, rather than detrimental, depending, if course, on all the other factors Thekla mentioned, and probably more. I couldn't say, for sure, but it adds up, in my mind. I do have issues of the soft tissues, and old injuries, and my posture could use some work - which this might help - so, I'd definitely be going into it slowly, and with a good deal of caution.

I started trying to use head portage (the fancy term for "head carrying") after watching this video:



It goes into why women--and both men & women in ancient and modern society--often carry things on their head, rather than using a wheelbarrow. A lot of stuff ends up being easier to carry on their head rather than using a wheelbarrow, especially when you are bringing things in and out of buildings.

I tried for a few months to carry more stuff on my head, but ended up not being good at balancing things on my head. I stopped trying when I was carrying a basket on my head full of school supplies, and then my favorite clipboard fell out of the basket and broke. I should not have let that one failure stop me, though!

Very interesting video, Nicole, thank you.  

Burra, and anyone else who knows, is rodihas plural?  Would I be going to put one rodiha on my head?

I did think of a couple reasons NOT to use head portage.  When joints have deteriorated and the cartilage is gone and you have “bone on bone”.  Cartilage replacement won’t happen from loading and getting better alignment.  I don’t know if bodies build new cartilage.  So if hip joints or knee joints are bone on bone, head portage is not a good idea!

I did have a chiropractor once who believed that if cartilage was eroding, exercises that increased the blood flow to the joint, and increased the rate of exchange of the fluid in the joint capsule would support cartilage growth. He recommended gyro kinesis and gyrotonic type movements.

Anyway I’m inspired by this thread to go back to head portage, starting with small loads and a rodiha(s).  Gradually increasing load and challenges.  14 years ago, I was able to carry 5 gallons of water down a pathway, and go over a wooden rail fence with a style.  That will be my goal, or maybe just 3 gallons of water.

I think we've stopped doing this as we spend more time indoors where doorways are an issue, and have more access to vehicles and level roads.  Why not just sling the thing in a vehicle and drive it?

I have always liked doing it but have never gotten well balanced enough i can do anything large without a supporting hand. I got some odd looks from neighbours as i carried a chair home from a garage sale on my head one day...  And coincidentally, just carried a pallet dropped off by a friend yesterday across the yard by slinging it on my head- far less awkward for my short body and inflamed shoulder tendons than trying to haul it beside me? Drag it? Put it under my arms? I find myself putting things on my head mostly when outdoors, and carrying something that is rigid and oversized for my body - plywood, furniture, cardboard boxes...  I have some wooden chairs i drag outside fairly often that carrying them on my head works well for. Also not dirty...a heavy bag of leaves is awkward, but i don't want leaf juice in my hair! I suppose a headscarf would help with that, too.

I love the idea of making a pad to be able to carry things with hard angles. I've used a jacket or a sweatshirt, but find them floppy and annoying.

Personally i find the most difficult part is having enough strength to lift the item over my head. Once it's up there, it's not too heavy. (Rule of thumb, if you can't lift it above your head with your arms, don't put it on your head?)

May i add for consideration the bonus skill of using a yoke or a pole  to balance and carry one or two heavy items and still have access to at least one hand? Of course, a yoke is the  easiest way to carry a canoe, but i've often found myself using a canoe paddle to carry extra bags while a friend carries the canoe, thus preventing having to make a return trip (and also leading to some hilarious pictures).  Transfers the weight to your shoulders, leaves you a free hand, and is somewhat easier to maneuver on a forest trail. I do it once in a blue moon in regular life when i need to carry a bunch of bags or other floppy things AND something like a broom or a 2x4.

To expand on what Thekla said, and (I totally agree with her.)

Any old injuries or deterioration are DEFINITELY things to be considered. You CAN be making them much worse doing this, depending on what exactly is going on. I'd definitely discuss it with a chiropractor before doing it if I was just starting.
{ I was already in the habit of carrying things on my head when my back was damaged badly in a car wreck, so I had the skill already to work with my injury and learn how to modify what I did. If i was new to this, and had that kind of injury, I'd DEFINITELY discuss it with a chiropractor before I did any of it. }
Back, neck and shoulder injuries are the most likely to be a serious issue. Knees and feet might be too.  

People who have spent a lot of time in sedentary lives need to work up to this, you can injure yourself badly. It's more of a workout than you think, lots of muscles involved that all have to be able to do their job right.

Always assume you will have one or both hand on your load. It looks cool when you see women carrying water on their head without their hands, but they have been doing it all their lives. A good start for someone who is not in shape for this would be to carry big empty boxes on your head, with both hands up at all times. Do your shoulders scream? You need to be able to do that first. Get a light load on your head, lift it straight up like you are weight lifting upward, as you get better at it, increase the weight. This is exercise, always start slow, and don't do heavy weight or lots of repetitions quickly, build up to both of them.

Balance is important, if you have to stare at the ground to keep your balance or are on uneven ground and have to watch it closely, you are risking a fall. Practice on a smooth surface, walking with a light load (no more than a gallon of liquid) back and forth and turn and step, until you feel VERY balanced when you are walking that way. It may take longer than you think, it's a core muscle exercise, as well as a balance one. Ear infections, allergies, and head injuries all affect balance intensely.

Weak or damaged core muscles need to be worked up to this carefully. Start with super light loads, keeping your hands on them, walk distances on smooth ground with them. Carrying empty boxes in a parking lot or sidewalk might be a great exercise. The hips need to move to keep your balance, practice swaying your butt from side to side as you walk with things on your head to get those muscles both used to moving, and strengthen them. Step up and down curbs, turn around both directions, make this a serious exercise.
{ When I relearned to walk after my back damage, I did this sort of exercise. I got overconfident at one point, walking on hard packed dirt, stepped in a squirrel hole that hadn't been there the day before, fell flat on my face with the stuff on my head dumped on the ground and took a serious shoulder injury in that fall. BE CAREFUL!! That HURT!! It also made that shoulder a weak point that has been injured multiple times since then. }

Having a ring on the head is useful once you are up to that stage, but if you are starting from out of shape, injured, or older, do the empty and light exercises first. Get in the habit of being able to do the movements before you start carrying real things around.

:D

Thekla McDaniels wrote:  
Burra, and anyone else who knows, is rodihas plural?  Would I be going to put one rodiha on my head?

One rodilha. Two rodilhas. With an L before the H.

I just want to share this, too, about the Festa dos Tabuleiros in Tomar, Portugal



It seems that you need a man with you to help lift the load up if it's heavy...



There is a section for the youngsters too. It seems that each girl has a male companion, who if necessary takes over and carries them on his shoulder.



And this is a longer video which shows the whole age range of kids involved and the increasing height and weight of the loads. And the far less rustic rodilhas than I am used to!

I have always been impressed by the mostly African immigrant women that I will see around town carrying pots of food to potlucks on their heads and other items.

As a child, I was terrible at the whole “balance, a book on your head” challenge. However, this thread has inspired me to give it another try. Turns out that as an adult I find this pretty simple really. I could walk around with a book on my head all day it seems like.

I used a scarf to make a rodilha and was able to walk around with a wooden bowl of apples without any real problem. A pumpkin was harder to balance.

Found this video, from Bangladesh.

Pearl Sutton wrote: Practice on a smooth surface, walking with a light load (no more than a gallon of liquid) back and forth and turn and step, until you feel VERY balanced when you are walking that way.   :D

I would suggest not starting out with a liquid, but rather something solid so the load doesn't wobble of its own accord?
That's just my gut feeling - books, like Mk Neal tried, sound like a great suggestion.

Please don't start with bricks... someone might get hurt if they fall!

Jay Angler wrote:

Pearl Sutton wrote: Practice on a smooth surface, walking with a light load (no more than a gallon of liquid) back and forth and turn and step, until you feel VERY balanced when you are walking that way.   :D

I would suggest not starting out with a liquid, but rather something solid so the load doesn't wobble of its own accord?

Sorry.  A gallon of liquid is 7 pounds, I'm just using it as a rough weight. Boxes with light items like clothes are best to start.

I agree, shifting liquids could be problematic, but with a full half gallon, or a full gallon, will there be room for the liquid to shift?

Definitely not a bucket of water!

Seems like full closed container of liquid would be fine.

I guess different loads would have different characteristics.  My instinct is to gain familiarity with a small compact unbreakable load before trying the large light weight one.  So many times when carrying something not on the head, I, or someone else has said “it’s not that it’s too heavy, it is just so awkward.

But I am speculating, haven’t yet hoisted the gallon of milk or the big box to my head.

If I had made my rodilha, I would not hesitate to carry a board or piece of firewood.

Thekla McDaniels wrote:Hi Pearl,
I have carried things on my head, but I don’t have enough experience to give advice.

I carried a closed 5 gallon container of water.  Many of the other women carried open containers of water.  I find that really impressive!

One good thing I can say is that it’s very good for your posture and pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.

That is why the African woman do carries heavy loads this way, because of the balance, where live is all about..

Was out in town today, the box weighs maybe 15 pounds, not bad at all. No ring, just have it on my head. Carried it about a block and a half to my truck. Got a very nice stranger to take this picture for me  :D
I have no face on the net....

While not strictly carrying a load on the head, a tump line can help to transfer some or most of the load of a packboard, backpack or pack basket to the top of the vertebral column.  A tump line is basically a broad strap, which either passes under the load or is attached to it.  The tump line passed either over the top of the head, just forward of the crown, or over the top of the forehead.  I have seen it both ways.  The path of the strap probably depends on the weight of the load, the relative geometry of the load to that of the porter, and the strength and architecture of the porter.

Tump lines were classic for the voyageurs to carry fur bales.  Two ~70 pound bales were required to be carried by contract, but any "real man" carried three.  This carrying method can still be seen from time to time in canoe country, but with Duluth packs or traditional pack baskets, these days.

A spinet upright piano was packed over the Chilkoot Pass to make its way to a honky-tonk saloon in the Yukon gold fields with a tump line!  The Chilkoot was pretty analogous to a via ferrata route.

I had a morning paper route as a kid.  I always carried the paper bag by using the shoulder strap as a tump line.  The bag didn't continually bump against my leg as I walked, and during the 5-ish months of snow season, it was a lot easier to tramp through knee deep unshoveled snow or hurdle plow banks with the bag behind me, rather than entangling my foot while high-stepping through the deep stuff.  Whenever I reached a mail slot, I'd just swing the load down to my shoulder, fish out either a Milwaukee Journal or Sentinel (I delivered both on the same route, back when they were separate papers), then swing it back up to my head again and be off to the next stop.

As with the true head porter technique, it's sound advice to build up weight slowly.

Traditional tump lines are warp faced weave - like inkle loom goods.  I have also seen broad nylon strap used.  I am suspicious it was seat belt webbing from a salvage yard, but I didn't ask, even though I should have.  A natural fiber such as cotton, linen or wool would be more comfortable.  Harness leather would work, too, though the break-in period might be a bit annoying.

I have two Korean War vintage US military surplus pack boards.  They appear to have anchor points for a tump line, though I am not certain that is the purpose.  In any case, every time I have to use one of the pack boards to lug something heavy/awkward (a 5-gallon can of gas and a chainsaw, or 5 gallons of water, or a small outboard motor), I think that I should have made a tump line.  And then it slips off the radar again.

Kevin Olson wrote:While not strictly carrying a load on the head, a tump line can help to transfer some or most of the load of a packboard, backpack or pack basket to the top of the vertebral column.  A tump line is basically a broad strap, which either passes under the load or is attached to it.  The tump line passed either over the top of the head, just forward of the crown, or over the top of the forehead.

Thank you! I had forgotten about those!
I prowled the net for images to show how they work.  A LOT of pictures out there of people using them with horrible posture.  All pics below are off the net.

Tump lines were classic for the voyageurs to carry fur bales.  Two ~70 pound bales were required to be carried by contract, but any "real man" carried three.  

A reenactor carrying with a tump line, looks like his strap is part of a hat, THAT is a cool concept to keep it it place. I hadn't heard of that.

This carrying method can still be seen from time to time in canoe country, but with Duluth packs or traditional pack baskets, these days.

This is a picture of a canoe pack for sale in the UK

A spinet upright piano was packed over the Chilkoot Pass to make its way to a honky-tonk saloon in the Yukon gold fields with a tump line!  The Chilkoot was pretty analogous to a via ferrata route.

I suspect it looked like this when carried

Traditional tump lines are warp faced weave - like inkle loom goods.  

Like this

As with the true head porter technique, it's sound advice to build up weight slowly.

YES!!!

Thank you for reminding me of these, Kevin! With my injury pattern I doubt I can do this, but others might consider it.

Pearl Sutton wrote:A LOT of pictures out there of people using them with horrible posture.  All pics below are off the net.

Yes, the miserable posture is probably mostly a function of where the center of gravity of the load is, and how high up on the porter's back the load can be positioned.  The combined center of gravity of the porter and load must remain more or less over the porter's feet, so a heavy load, with the center of gravity well back, will require a LOT of forward lean to remain in balance.  If the load can be shifted higher on the porter's back, less lean angle may be required to maintain balance.  But, the load will need to be raised up higher to accomplish that, and it will require more  skill and strength to maintain balance if the center of gravity is high (in the extreme, think of the circus act which balances a long pole on the chin of the gymnast - now do that over rough ground).

Thanks for the illustrative photos.  As everyone can see, true practitioners of the art can carry impressive loads by this means.

For reference, here's an image of rather pedestrian loads going over the Chilkoot:


The tump line is certainly not for everyone, and I have only passing practical familiarity with the technique.

I don't want to further derail the discussion from true head porter technique, but a tump line may prove useful to someone as an intermediate between a conventional back pack and balancing a load on top of the head.

I've been carrying things since I was a kid. Seeing the little girl at the end of The Jungle Book carrying a water jug on her head triggered a life-long habit.

I have NEVER in all these years considered a padded ring for carrying them, even though I've balanced plenty of hard objects with uncomfortable lumps and textures. What an idea! What a concept! Making a tool to make a task simpler?? Who would have thought!

Related to keeping track of these pads and having them on hand, what about stitching a belt loop or tie onto edge of the pad? And/or using a tump line as a belt?

I think the tumpline discussion was good! Very informative and related, not really a derailment.

This morning I carried some logs on my head for hugelkultur. I made a rodilha of dead ostrich ferns and it was quite comfortable, and stayed balanced without the help of my hands. Though it was a little awkward when I wanted to turn and the log turned more slowly. I also uncovered a hatchet that was buried under the goutweed last spring and that needs some emergency care… it even had what looked like honey mushroom tendrils attached.

I’m trying to figure out the best way to carry a tarp full of dead leaves, which has tended to flop over my face and make it hard to see. I probably should tie it up…

Maieshe Ljin wrote:
I’m trying to figure out the best way to carry a tarp full of dead leaves, which has tended to flop over my face and make it hard to see. I probably should tie it up…

I drag tarps when I can, but other than that, yeah, tie the corners diagonally, pack it down tight, get it tied up well.

In the training book for therapists the chapter on this came to the conclusion that to carry things on the head requires being able to walk correctly.  Modern society not having that custom, they do not learn to walk  correctly.  When walking correctly the head remains steady while the body moves to keep the center of gravity over the center of support at the feet.   This requires lateral flexibility of the spine to place the center of gravity over one foot then the other.  Carrying items in front  can flatten the forward and back curves which interferes with the ability to curve sideways.  Therefor carrying the load on the head, shoulders or back will generally allow carrying it further without fatigue.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Here's the contrarian view from a semi-retired wilderness backpacker. The hip bones, leg muscles, and supporting abdominal muscles is the best place on the human animal to handle significant weight. The spine just can't take it without damage...

I so agree with this. If someone's been carrying weight on the crown of their head since childhood, that would be one thing. But it seems to me that starting later in life could cause serious spinal issues, even with gradually adding the weight.

In my case, I have arthritis in my neck and some disk degeneration. The thought of putting real weight on that part of my spine gives me the willies - visions of paralysis for life (I'm a worrier). That said, while I have a scarf that would be perfect for a rodilha and I like the idea of carrying a lightweight item, I'm not into wearing scarves.

So I got to thinking what alternative could I come up with that would more likely work for me? The first thing that popped into my mind was a watch cap with the edges rolled up.  The only drawback to it that I can think of is that my ears would suffer if I was wearing the watch cap to protect them. Then another idea came to mind, and that was neck tubes. I'm sure there's a proper name for them, but they'd be something I routinely wear that could be rolled up to make rodhilas, too.

There is also the use of straps that goes over the head to help carry things on the back. I believe fur trappers used to do this.

In 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back (Gokhale, 2008) (Pages 112-113):

When an African or Indian village woman carries a heavy weight on her head (fig. 5-3), she is not passive under that weight, which would cause her discs to compress. Rather, she actively engages her inner corset ['contracting certain muscles in your abdomen and back']; her torso becomes more slender and her spine becomes longer. In this way she protects her discs from the weight she carries. ... Medical literature documents that in certain populations, such as the Bhil tribe of Central India, the discs of a 50-year-old look very similar to those of a 20-year-old (fig 5-5). The proper and frequent use of the inner corset muscles is perhaps why these populations experience virtually no disc degeneration as they age.

The book has a whole chapter about this concept. I have not found anything better for moving past my own back problems (not just the one chapter of course).