Marianna Olivia Lordou

80% of the population experiences lower back pain at some point in their life, which is related to incorrect weight transference and sustained loading. Unfortunately, the student lifestyle demands an excessive amount of load handling over prolonged periods of time, including and not limited to grocery shopping and moving accommodation. The adaptable strap aims to make the inconveniently hand-held loads to be worn in a hands-free manner, like a backpack or across the body.

Based on research on biomechanics and physics, the heavy loads are safely transferred to the load-bearing upper body to feel lighter, prevent lower back pain, and encourage a straight posture. In addition to maintaining one’s physical wellbeing, the strap enhances the number of loads one may carry at once, which allows for load-bearing tasks to be performed efficiently. For example, a two-person job can now become a one-person job, providing independence and self-reliance. In other situations, students can buy in bulk and shop less frequently without being confined by their own physical ability of carrying hand-held loads over prolonged periods of time.

Overall, the strap has potential beyond the student market. For instance, given its benefits for people with lower back pain, variations of such product can be refined for applications in occupational therapy. As a brand, ‘Lightly’ aims to make life as easy as possible, to as many people as possible.