viking22 Loc: Brooklyn NY to Wayne NJ to PBG FL

I carry my camera bag strap over my left shoulder and the bag sits on my right hip and I put my Canon DSLR over my right shoulder and sits on my right hip while walking looking for Kodak moments. Both have some weight to them. I've been doing this for over 30 years. Now I have been diagnosed with arthritis on the back of my neck where it's putting pressure on the nerves completely around the back of my neck, from cervical nerve to cervical nerve. I now go to physical therapy where I feel like my head is being pulled off my shoulders. Very painful. I'm trying to analyze how this happened and the only thing I can come up with are the straps around the back of my neck. Has anyone else experienced this neck pain?

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Sorry for your condition. Time for a roller bag. No more painful straps for me.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

Get a backpack and stop doing what you are doing.

ELNikkor

Optech's flexible straps did a lot to alleviate the pain of carrying my heavy cameras.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I've been carrying my camera and bag similar to your method for probably over 20 years. Even having suffered through several motor vehicle accidents where my neck was the most affected and one other incident in which I fractured a vertebra, I've not had any issues with carrying cameras and bags.
--Bob

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I have been carrying a full frame body with four pieces of glass, so heavy bags are not uncommon to me. If anything look into buying a roller bag or even apprenticing some high school kid to carry your gear.
Neck strain is common because we carry heavy stuff. Pills can relieve the pain for just so long. Physical therapy can be time consuming but it is helpful.

Recently I had open heart surgery. Doctor said no lifting stuff. Okay. That’s was tough. Then he allowed me to carry just the camera with the lens. Now 3 months later I can carry my over the shoulder sling bag without issues. Try one or both my suggestions. It makes photography that much more pleasant and not a chore.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

As an old-time/long time wedding photographer, covering many FORMAL occasion, I tend to wreck my suits and tuxedos (and mu skeletal and muscular systems) by loading the pockets with gear, carrying heavy flash power packs on my shoulders and getting into awkward positions for low angle shots, etc. So...I have my suits custom made with reinforced extra-large pockets, a little more shoulder padding and strong seat seams. On my last visit to Tony, my favourite tailor, while taking my measurements, he informed me that my right shoulder is considerably lower than my left shoulder. I sarcastically asked him if he was changing his profession to orthopedic surgery or chiropractic. He told me not to be a "smart-ass" and that he would add some extra padding to the lower shoulder.

Point is, after over 50 years of schlepping around heavy electronic flash power packs, hanging medium format cameras around my neck and assuming all kinds of contortions, I managed to deform myself! They say that bad habits come back to bite you in the backside- mine came back to bite me in the neck and shoulders! I feel your pain and in fact, I have it! I work out in the gym, I've had physiotherapy, NADA! At 76-years old, I do have a bit of arthritis and some days, when I get up in the morning, I feel like I was run over by a loaded cement truck.
A hot shower and sometimes an extra-strength Tylenol and I am out of the house and off to work.

The wheel is a great invention so I put them on all my gear cases. I have a couple of collapsible hand-trucks, a giant hockey bag on casters for tripods and light stands and now I put the power pack on the other shoulder- maybe someday they will equalize. No smoking, no booze and cutting down on red meat helps.

I told my rheumatologist that it hurts every time I raise and stretch my right arm- he said "don't do that"!

Face it- we did it to ourselves! I am an old man with a gray beard and the bones and muscles are still operational but they ain't what they used to be. Once the nerves are damaged they're...kaput!

I find that as long as I stay active, the "pain in the neck" subsides a bit and I have no issue with mobility. Bengay helps but the best kind smells like mothballs- that's bad- brigs on ageism!

Get well, stay safe- good luck!

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

For the camera I use the cotton carrier. The cotton carrier with a holster is good for carrying two cameras with lenses.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...I now go to physical therapy where I feel like my head is being pulled off my shoulders. Very painful..." This does not sound like you have a very compassionate therapist... Seek another maybe?

Also a photography forum is a questionable source of medical guidance...
Please seek treatment only from a licensed practitioners...
It's probably not your kit Viking, it's very likely a medical issue.

I would strongly suggest you avoid non-authoritative sources *i.e. this forum
Start Here: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/pain-you-can-get-help

There are many highly effective remedial practices/therapeutics available...
Wishing you a rapid and full recovery Viking...

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Next time I’m up in Montreal and I see someone in a nice suit, kinda lopsided by worn by a good Jewish looking man, I’ll scream out your name.

Bengay works but smells like you rubbed wintergreen mints all over your self. It is okay I guess. But it doesn’t go over too well in a bar. Then there is Capsaicin. This stuff is great but wash your hands after applying it. If you scratch yourself with out washing you will have a very uncomfortable feeling you know where. As your friendly neighborhood pharmacist I recommend Epsom Salts. This is great stuff. Very soothing, no side effects like smell or anything else and best of all, cheap as dirt. If you want some With Eucalyptus same price but very very soothing. Fill a tub with water as hot as you can stand, sprinkle in the Epsom salts and just relax until the water temperature drops off.

One of the main reasons I never went to medium format, because of the weight. One of the reasons why my wife is glad I never went down that road is the price.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Yeah, life's a b!tch like that. There are many things we did 20-30years ago that are just not possible at your/our current age. I used to be able to ski all day. Now at 78, I ski a half a day call it quits, and have a drink or two with friends in the bar.
Lose some of the gear. Or not. You know what the problem is.

PCB_smv

Yes, when arthritis sets in you have to change how you do things. Believe me, I know how you feel. Monday I am having spinal surgery to repair C3-4-and 5. They are doing a fusion with a titanium plate.
I bought lighter cameras and sometimes use a devise that carries the weight on the chest. Also be aware of looking down at phones, iPads and a computer monitor. Raise them on a higher level. It won’t cause the problem but will make it worse. In spite of the problem try to still get out and enjoy yourself, just do things a different way. I even bought a little cart to carry things in. Good luck in the future.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Patient: "Doctor, I have never had this before".

Doctor: "You have never been 70 years old before".

I have this discussion several times weekly with my patients. Arthritis in the joints along the back part of the spine is like arthritis in any other joint - it is a result of wear and tear and probably personal factors such as genetic susceptibility. Wear and tear is a function of both age and past trauma. Your left knee may be just as old as your right knee but may have worse arthritis because of an injury suffered fifty years before and long forgotten. Arthritis in the spinal facet joints is most likely related to falls and jarring activities such as jumping, jogging, horseback riding, etc. Perhaps carrying heavy bags or camera gear contributed to it. Facet joint arthritis in the neck is most often associated with degenerative disc disease, in which the space between the vertebral bones gets smaller, putting more pressure on the joints.

Arthritis in the spine can be treated with injections or with a therapy called RFA - radio frequency ablation (often helps for a year or so).

Worse case situation (surgical treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease):

(Download)

SonyBug

Old age. There is a natural deterioration of the cartilage. I have had it for many years, over 25, and my solution is not to aggravate or stress it. If I do, I pay the price.