Carrying loads using flexible poles

Our ability to carry objects has played an important role in human evolution. People around the world often carry heavy loads over great distances every day. A carrying method that is common in Asia involves using a springy bamboo pole to balance loads over the shoulder, but little is known about the biomechanical demands of pole carrying.

One hypothesis is that the spring-like qualities of a bamboo pole save energy for the person carrying the load. My research has demonstrated that walking while carrying a flexible bamboo pole requires less energy than a rigid steel pole of similar length and weight. Additionally, people appear to intuitively "tune" their step frequencies relative to the natural frequency of the bamboo pole to discover the most energy-saving cadence for carrying the load.