Age, fragility, and carry-on only

I would use whatever bag/suitcase allows you to travel in February. Would taking a backpack type hurt when you take it on & off? Or, will it be a problem to manage picking up your roller bag when you need to go up & down stairs in a train station? Or, is there pain if you need to grab the handle of the train when loading & disembarking?

I love my Cotopaxi 35L backpack type, but I brought my old 2-wheel carryon for the recent Christmas Market tour because I wanted to bring home items, and that bag’s more protective. If you have both types, you could choose which would be best for a particular trip.

Hope you fully heal very soon!

Oh, sorry about your broken arm! Stay with what you always take. If you find the backpack and bag won’t work as you get closer to your trip, go out and buy a cheap roller at a local TJMax or Ross, or your store of choice.

How has your affliction affected the range of motion in your arms, and is it optimistic to expect a complete recovery by February? I still find it cumbersome to put on and remove my relatively small Appenzell pack, which I use as my carry-on - especially in a winter coat - I check my classic RS 22" roller. A full-size backpack, perhaps approaching 20 pounds in weight, would be more difficult for me.

I just returned from 9 days in London and the roller performed as expected - including 10 minute walks from the tube station to the hotel over various degrees of rough pavement, and maneuvering the stairs transferring lines at Piccadilly Circus.

The nature of your trip may be a factor - to what extent will you be on the move? I would play it safe and go with the roller.

I hear you. You're used to a backpack but due to your injury you're not sure if you should use that for your trip in a few weeks or get a rolling bag.

No one knows how well you will be healed by the time of your trip nor how you will feel by then.

But you don't want to pay full price for an RS rolling bag if you don't need to use it. Of course buying the bag now would save money but if you don't like it, or don't use it, you would have to pay to return it. That's not cheap.

So how about an alternative? I'm going to suggest this...

US Traveler 20" Rio

This bag won't last a lifetime but should help you get by should the backpack not work. If you choose the black it's only $36. Other colors are a little more expensive. If it arrives and you don't like it, Amazon offers free returns.

After your trip, should you decide that a wheeled bag is for you, and you feel this bag is not going to last, you will then have time to search for a replacement. If you want the RS bag, there are usually a few sales during the year.

I don't have this bag so I don't have any experience with it, but if the price is still the same when I return to the US in a couple of weeks, I might just buy it to give it a try.

It seems you view your luggage as more than a means to an end. It has become part of your self-image as a traveler. I encourage you to try different types of luggage to see which really suit your actual needs. I change what luggage I use to match my needs and the particular needs of the trip. I personally don’t like rolling backpacks, but it might be just perfect for you. I generally end up with a spinner these days.

hmmmm

I suppose it may depend if the break was in your dominant arm or the other.

If you want to pull a roller is it your stronger arm that can do the work?

And then, did the shoulder get involved in the injury - would you be able to easily get a backpack on and off?

sorry for the ouchie

oh - can you lift whatever bag up to the overhead rack on a train or overhead compartment on a plane? And get it down?

We travel with TravelPro 22 and 21 inch swivel wheel ultra light carry on bags and I use a small backpack. My wife carries a huge purse with meds, etc. in it. We never check any luggage.

The humerus breaks are often pretty major and they take between 6 and 12 weeks to heal. It sounds as if you will be essentially a one armed person during your trip.

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For this trip, you should take a rolling carry on bag and check it with the airline. Do not even try to deal with a backpack as you might end up damaging your upper arm.

“For this trip, you should take a rolling carry on bag and check it with the airline. Do not even try to deal with a backpack as you might end up damaging your upper arm”

Listen to David’s very wise advice.

Just because you use a roller one time doesn’t mean you can’t use your backpack next time. Adapting appropriately to a situation is the mark of experience.

I’m sorry you are injured! But I hope you will enjoy your trip!

Well we traveled carryon for the first 39 years of marriage. Roller. This year, deciding against worsening back pain, we started checking our carry on! Life changing in the airport! We always carry necessities and clothing change lest suitcase be diverted.

Adapt as you need to, as you age. The important thing, to me, is to adjust to keep on traveling’.

I prefer a backpack but have come to realize that it is not always the best bag for me. Packing for a last minute Alaska cruise, I had my e-bags weekender down to 16 pounds. Even with the sternum and waist straps, my back and shoulders were unhappy. Knowing that there would be lots of walking at the airport and cruise terminal, I quickly purchased a lightweight carryon spinner for the trip and was glad I did. Currently, depending on the trip, I either use the spinner or one of my smaller backpacks. Now that I am older and supposedly wiser, I have to let common sense dictate my luggage choice rather than what I really want.

People who know my packing on the forum probably think I’m a fanatic, weighing everything to get the lightest possible load, etc. But the main reason is that I want to be able to travel as long as possible with the least stress to my body. So along with looking at which type of luggage you want for this trip, be absolutely relentless at reducing what contents you normally bring. Even packing for a Christmas Market winter trip, my 2-roller suitcase packed as I departed was just 14 pounds. (+ empty backpack). It took a few iterations to get it down to that weight, but I appreciated the effort with each move to a different city.

I've used a roller bag and a tote for 25 years. Recently I've come to realize maybe it is time to upgrade to spinner wheels. Dragging a rollaboard behind you can get very heavy and certainly wouldn't be good for that healing bone in your arm. Do you have a friend who would let you borrow their bag for the February trip to try it out before you buy? I do love my Rick Steves rollaboard though.

"For this trip, you should take a rolling carry on bag and check it with the airline. Do not even try to deal with a backpack as you might end up damaging your upper arm."

I agree with this. About 10 years ago one of our kids friends broke her humerus and I was the one who took care of her. She was a mountaineer and young, early 20's. There is no way she would have been able to use a backpack that soon after. Yes, I realize everyone is different, but this girl had everything else in her favor and would not have been able to do it.

I personal love my RS 21" rolling bag. We had a couple from years ago and one of the zippers finally just died, so I bought another several years ago. It is still my favorite bag. If pulling on the handle hurts your arm, just switch to the other hand. This bag has been to so many places and held up wonderfully. I like that it has a handle on the side and then a place to hold it on the bottom, so when lifting it you have a few options to maneuver it with two hands and not drop it.

Don’t worry about the sale. If you are not traveling soon, wait until you are completely healed. A bone fracture needs at least 8 weeks. There will be other sales and other bags. Your health is more important right now.

A roller suitcase is not a “participation trophy.” It’s just a suitcase. My family and I use several RS bags. We have other bags, also. Just get better. Have fun online surf shopping right now.

I hope you heal quickly. I’m in agreement with the others that suggest a rolling bag that you check. A bag with 4 wheels will maneuver more easily than 2 wheels and cause less stress on your body. My husband uses a RS spinner, but it was originally mine. It has been going strong for many years and we travel a lot. When he took over my spinner I bought a Travel Pro carry on that is very lightweight. I think a couple of pounds less than the RS bag. I bought it on sale at Macy’s for under $100. Macy’s often has great sales on luggage. Someone previously mentioned TJ Maxx and Ross. They have good prices and I think Marshall’s might be another good resource. Think hard about what you need for your physical health and not about whatever image you might have of the superiority of a backpack.

I am sorry to hear about your fall. This is just anecdotal - we are all built so differently - but I fell and broke my humerus on a January 31st a few years ago. I had a trip planned to Hawaii for the first week in March - so an easy travel trip. I did not have enough use of my arm at that point to put a bag in the overhead bin. It was a few months before I could lift my arm over my head like that.

I was not even driving again at the 6 week mark. I was surprised at how long the healing took.

However, pulling a roller bag STILL makes my arm hurt and sore - 6 years later. I actually find a backpack to be easier - it’s less pull on the shoulder. But I still use a roller bag - habit for me. I just want to add my feeling that the backpack requires less movement and pull on your shoulder than the roller bag - unless you only use the non-broken arm.

At any rate - be patient, do some test walks before you travel and be prepared for the backpack to cause shoulder pain. And if it does, just check your bag this one time. Even now - when I overuse the arm, it causes quite a bit of pain.

I have always had an antipathy towards backpacks. Hate it when people with giant backpacks get on crowded public transportation, and I am trying to avoid getting whacked or poked in the face as they blithely try to maneuver, forgetting they have basically a boulder extending behind them! Even as a child going to school, I always had a shoulder bag while all my classmates had backpacks. Fast forward to now (AARP came calling 14 years ago), and I still haven't changed my mind. 4-wheel carry-on roller is it for me. Currently, a Travel Pro. Small enough not to raise the ire of gate agents at Ryan Air (so far). Rick can have his backpack, but for me, the sensation of guiding the thing on a mile/+ long trek to change gates at MAD makes me want to give the inventor a lifetime engineering achievement award. Now, if someone would add an electric motor, a cushion...Don't worry, I draw the line at those!

Like NWValerie, I also broke this part of my arm (also on January 31!) and the recovery took a good six months. I had very little range of motion and could barely dress myself, let alone lift even small items anywhere near above my head. Diligent physical therapy until September eventually recovered my range of motion. Furthermore, when my doctor cleared me to return to work (not until May of that year), he wrote in his orders that I wasn’t to lift anything heavier than a coffee cup!

Perhaps you will recover faster, but the fact is that older people take much more time (my son broke his arm at age two and recovered in about 4 weeks). So, as others have suggested, try out some different baggage options to see what might work. And checking a piece of luggage might also be wise.

Are you traveling solo or with a companion? If a companion - maybe the two of you can get together and buy a larger, checked rolling suitcase. Have the buddy haul it. Then, do/buy nice things for the buddy on the trip.

It's not a sign of weakness to move to a roller. It's all about the situation. I have both an RS roller, and an RS classic backpack. I prefer the roller for short domestic trips (often checked), and the backpack for overseas trips. I like having both arms free with a backpack, and the slightly less weight and more capacity. On RS tours, I think most people prefer rollers. When the time comes, you'll know.

We were formerly all carry-on and we still love the freedom, money and time savings that provides. However, earlier this year, we came to recognize that for us, it would be better to transition to checking our bags.

We check our bags, but we have wheeled underseaters that we carryon. We pack a change of clothes and the necessities in the underseaters and easily navigate airports. We do not stress about there being room to stow the under seater on the plane and we have found security to be less chaotic with wrangling smaller bags.
When we gather our checked bags, the under seater has a trolley sleeve and it goes on top of the checked bags. We have navigated train stations in Italy with this stacked method no problem-used the escalators in Roma Termini and simply waited our turn for the one elevator in Salerno.
If the purchase of one piece of luggage could make or break a trip that you have invested so much money in, not to mention the time and anticipation, I would procure the bag.

I don’t know which milestone you’re approaching but I’m 82 and as I mark more time, my habits have changed. From using a backpack as a carry-on to getting a wheeled suitcase I’ve gone from carry-on to checking luggage. In over 20 trips to Europe, I’ve only had bags go astray twice. Once when an Alitalia gate agent wouldn’t allow a carry-on on my flight home and the bag was delivered to my home 6 days later. The other on an outbound to Venice. My flight from Palm Beach International to Atlanta was canceled because of an equipment problem. Got a later flight and instead of ATL > Venice, I was booked on an Air France flight to CDG with less than an hour to change planes in Paris. I made it, my bag didn’t. Checked into my hotel in Dorsuduro, took a walk, had a pizza and by the time I got back to my room, my bag had been delivered! Easier than dragging it thru airports and on to a vaparetto.

I don’t miss dragging a suitcase between gates at airports where it sometimes takes almost an hour to get from gate to gate. I have Rick’s Euro Flight Bag in which I pack my essentials and store it under the seat in front of me where it’s always accessible. Waiting for a bag at baggage claim and costing me 10-20 minutes? Well worth the very minor inconvenience for not feeling like a baggage handler, fighting for bin space and dragging a wheelie down an aisle. I feel that too much has been made of only going carry-on. Reliability and speed of checked bags isn’t what it was 20 years ago.

I switched from a backpack to a rollaboard years ago following a shoulder injury. Putting a backpack on and taking it off was painful at the time. I never went back to the backpack as I found I preferred the rollaboard.

I use a two-wheeled rollaboard bag (Travelpro Maxlite). The two-wheeled bags put some strain on your arm so I would only buy a two-wheeled bag if you are able to pull the bag with your ”good” arm. Otherwise a spinner might be a better choice with an injury.

I check my two-wheeled bag. It is very nice to not have to lug my larger bag through the airport and get on a plane with only my purse and a daypack. With an injured arm, it might be wise to just check your bag for this next trip regardless of what bag you go with. A wheeled bag does not imply frailty; it is practical in your situation. Checking a bag is also not a moral failing.

So sorry that you have this injury. May your recovery go well.

I'm a retired orthopedic nurse. A humerus fracture is a major injury. Both arms are used for balance. If your fractured arm isn't very close to 100% you are at greater risk of falling again. Your fractured arm will be much weaker from lack of use until you are comfortable moving it again and are okay to move it in it's regular range of motion and build up the muscles again.

Even with a roller suitcase, there will be times where you will need to lift it up- can you lift it up a few stairs with your uninjured arm (added for clarity) and walk safety up or down those stairs with a weak arm? Think very carefully if it's worth going on that trip in February.

The suitcase or backpack is just a way to store and move your packed contents.

After one backpacking trip in my early 20s I never want to use a backpack again. I'm not a large person and carrying 20lbs, maybe a bit more, was torture for me at the time, when we didn't check our backpacks at a train station for the day. Being a frequent user of the subway, I too, am irritated by backpack wearers that forget they have at least 6-10 inches projecting off of their back when they turn and move.

Thanks to Croatia half my rotator cuff in my right shoulder looks like hamburger meat. Probably no fixing it. The four wheel bag is the only option as it is most adaptable to what use of my right arm that I have to push or pull a bag. Its a rigid hard side bag which means it keeps its shape when I hoist it up into the overhead with my left arm. The four wheels mean I can pile things on top and it wont fall over.

"Am I mistaken to think of the roller as a participation trophy or accommodation/ consolation?"

With respect: Yes!

A roller bag is not a sign of defeat, and a backpack is not a sign of superiority.

No one is judging you for the way you carry your carry-on luggage. Do what makes the most sense for you, and have a wonderful trip.

And happy healing!

Avi, I had a fractured humerus two years ago when I tripped over a rock hidden by snow and fell into a snowbank (it probably looked as funny as it sounds). Luckily it was a clean break, so I didn't need surgery but I did need to take it very easy for the next 8-10 weeks. During that time I traveled to Florida and was fine, but I did not use a backpack.

After the first three months were up, I went back to bringing a backpack and I was fine. I still used my Travelpro MaxLite 5 carry-on spinner, but I carried a fairly heavy personal bag as a backpack and never had any problems.

My point is that every case is going to be different and you just have to go with your own body and how it feels. Obviously you can check with your ortho and ask about it, but you're younger than I am and I still carry backpacks as a carry-on from time to time. If it's too much, your body will let you know.

Frank (and Avi): just an FYI that the Rio bag is also available at Target with the same colors and prices. The nice thing about Target is that you get your 5% off when you pay instead of afterwards as a reward. https://www.target.com/p/u-s-traveler-rio-2pc-expandable-softside-carry-on-luggage-set/-/A-94309512

We are ages 75 and 77. We were carry on only before RS was in the travel business after a disastrous lost luggage situation flying to a cruise when our kids were tykes. Fast forward: we have great carry on bags that have never broken down. But we have! Arthritis, back problems, etc. We now routinely check bags. (Your fracture adds another dimension altogether-forget carry on until you heal!). We invested in quality bags (Brigs & Riley, TravelPro) and after many years they have held up, even when checked. We long ago gave away our rollaboards and have spinners exclusively as the shoulders and back like those better. Many cobblestones, no broken wheels. We cruise a lot now and for land based tours we travel with another tour company that handles your luggage, but has a few dress up venues so a bigger wardrobe is necessary. We’ve graduated to business class for any flight over 4 hours. This is our experience only but after a dozen RSE tours, lots of independent travel our style of travel has changed including the “carry on only” mantra. If we had not I doubt we could travel. 2026 has us on three cruises and a land based tours to France. Happy travels and get better soon!

Another vote for team rollie - in fact, a spinner. Add it to your collection of travel tools and use as needed. Based on your timing, the cast will be off, but your muscles/tendons/etc will still be rehabbing. The twisting motion to put the backpack on/off, as well as stowing it wherever you go, is not going to be kind to your arm - whether your dominant or non-dominant. (Also consider asking your orthopod whether they advise you to lift/stow a travel bag repeatedly, 2+ months after the break.) Focus on doing everything you can to maximize fun on your trip - and pain would not be a goal. Have a fab time!

I’ll be very interested to hear how badly your humerus was fractured. I badly broke my left humerus in June of 2016 the day before my 66th birthday. Surgery was done to insert a rod down the bone with screws at both ends of the bone. I needed weeks of rehab and I never got complete range of motion back but recovered enough for normal life. I was fully functional in about 2-3 months but no way could I have gotten anything in an overhead bin before then. I can’t say anything about shrugging in and out of carrying a backpack however as I’ve never used one for travel.

I’d say if you’re going to be able to travel in February no matter what bag you choose, you’re very lucky indeed.

Am I mistaken to think of the roller as a participation trophy or accommodation/ consolation?

How many times have you seen pilots and flight attendants wearing backpacks?
If the professional travelers use rolling bags I do not see that as somehow a lesser class thing.

If this is the RS bag under consideration ( https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/rolling-carry-on ) I, many years ago, looked at it favorably ( hands on inspection i the store) but eventually got a TravelPro
( very similar to this --https://www.amazon.com/Travelpro-Luggage-Platinum-Expandable-Rollaboard/dp/B01N411GI7/ref=asc_df_B01N411GI7?hvadtype=checktestBing&hvcampaign=checktestBingcampaign&th=1 )
because it was on sale for less than the RS bag.

Avi, I just wanted to say I am very sorry about your injury. I hope that your healing and rehab will go well.

thanks, everyone, for your comments. it helps me think this through.

i won't know what i am in for, recovery-wise, until i see the orthopedic specialist on monday. maybe not even then, if they order more tests, which is likely.

i looked at my flight tickets and a checked bag is included. in this situation, doing carry-on only is prolly not the right decision, even though the last time i checked a bag was in 2007.

this still leaves the question of whether i bring my trusty ebags weekender backpack or try out a roller. the $37 Amazon or Target roller makes it low stakes to give myself the option.

I notice that these low price type bags have the this-is-an-often-returned-item warning on Amazon. So my expectations are commensurately low.

thanks again for your perspectives

If you are going to give a roller bag a trial, at least give it a fair trial. If you buy some cheap thing, knowing it won’t stand up and will breakdown, then you haven’t really truly tried a roller bag. My Samsonite spinners have stood up to the best/worst that cobblestone streets have thrown at them year after year.

Checking a bag means that you may wait 20 -40 minutes at the luggage carousel. Not the end of the world! It also means that you have less to deal with in the departure airport preflight and you don’t have to join the onboard scramble for overhead bin space. Do make sure you have all documents, medicine, valuables, and one change of clothes with you in the cabin.

I notice that these low price type bags have the this-is-an-often-returned-item warning on Amazon. So my expectations are commensurately low.

Because of the way I travel, I rely on Amazon for purchases all over the world. I also notice those "often returned" warnings. But that contradicts some of the ratings that are 4.5+. (The bag I linked to had a 4.2 rating over 35,500 reviews.)

In regards to bags, quite often, people return them due to the size. They receive the bag and it is smaller than expected.

I recommended an inexpensive bag, whether you choose the one I suggested or get one from Target, is to give them a try. You may find that you prefer your backpack for now--at least after full healing. Then why invest in an expensive bag you may not use? The inexpensive ones won't last forever but it will give you an opportunity to try them out especially if temporarily medically necessary.

If you find you like the wheeled bag, then give yourself some time to shop for something you truly like.

Over my travel lifetime I've gone from large check in bag to backpack to roller to spinner. Each has its pros and cons. There is no right or wrong.

The other thing I would suggest, since you have a doctor's appointment next week, is ask him about which bag he would suggest--backpack, roller, spinner-- in regards to your injury and healing process. If he's not familiar with bags explain how each is "lugged."

It's the "getting the bag on and off your back" movements of your arms with a backpack, rather than the lifting, that I'd be worried about.

First, give yourself a month to partially heal. Then, go to a luggage store rather than online shop. Test run some things in a store to see what you can or cannot handle. Limit yourself to about 30 liters, minimalist packing if you can to reduce bulk and weight as much as possible.

Are you in a sling? Seriously, fractured humerus is really bad and requires patience.

OP there is too much missing information regarding the specifics of your injury and of related general health factors for even an orthopaedist or physio who hasn't seen you and the imaging, to give you trustable advise (nonwithstanding the ethical violation of doing so). Good thing you have decided to follow the recommendation of your healthcare provider(s).

Personally as someone with a chronic shoulder issue I have been treating with physiotherapy, I find a backpack far more comfortable than any sort of rolling case. Hoisting any kind of bag into and out of an overhead bin is about the same level of difficulty for me. Donning and doffing a backpack is not painful as long as I do it sitting. I wait for everyone to de-plane so I can take my time and do it cautiously. I also sit on the ledge of the taxi or uber boot, on the bed in the hotel, and at the airport gate. I slip my injured arm through first, then the strong arm, then stand and bend forward at the waist so the weight of the bag is against my back (not hanging from my shoulders), then cinch the straps and finally straighten up.

The final advantage of the backpack is it leaves my strong arm free to open heavy doors, hold onto railings (stairs and in the metro) and steady myself in case of a stumble. Whereas I'd need my strong arm to pilot a wheeled bag, leaving the burden of those aforementioned tasks to my injured arm.

I agree with Stan. I recently had a shoulder strain, not nearly as serious as what you're facing, and getting a jacket on & off required care. Have you tried roller bags loaded with some weight? Maybe walk around the store with it? It's not a fashion statement, and it's not forever! Go with what's comfy for you to deal with, & I hope you heal quickly!

I traveled to Peru with an REI duffel bag that holds everything for a two week trip and a lumbar backpack. The duffel was for the horse who was carrying our gear on an Andean trek. When I traveled to Germany I used an RS roller bag and a day pack that fit all the electronics plus meds and jacket. The type of trip influences which luggage I will be using. A heavy pack will never be a choice for me though since 10 lbs is my limit as I had a rotator cuff injury that periodically acts up. Also at 73 I don't mind checking a bag even if the weight is under the Lufthansa's 8kg limit (17 lbs). It's also a necessity if it contains the hiking poles which are a must for me on most trips.

Off topic: We only had luggage missing once although not from an airline mishap. It was because a luggage transport company in Germany drove off without unloading my husband's luggage at the hotel.

I am wondering what milestone birthday this is. I'm hoping it's 80, because I'm not ready to start declining. Am I in denial?

Surgery scheduled for Wednesday with one night in hospital expected ('this is not a short operation' the trauma specialist said) so I will start the new year with a substantially renovated arm.

Meanwhile, Mexican destination is in high 70s or low 80s and sunny; good dinners for U$20.

good luck and a quick recovery, avirosemail

Hope everything goes well on Wednesday and healing commences! Take care,

So sorry you need to have surgery. I’ll be thinking of you on Wednesday and sending wishes for a speedy recovery.

Avi, best of luck with the surgery! Do lay in some prepared meals for your post-op course even if you don't normally eat that way.

Your Ortho doc and your physical therapist will be good resources on your backpack vs roller bag question as you get into recovery mode.

Updating to say my range of motion is improving but still isn't good - I can't reach my mouth with a fork yet, or put a hat on my head, but I can just manage to get a deodorant stick against my opposite armpit (TMI?)

I now have the Rio roller bag mentioned above, and will give in and check it if I really need to, but my fingers are crossed (at least metaphorically) that I can charm someone into stowing it in the overhead for me.

Healing is going slower than I was picturing; sutures aren't out yet, and the PT evaluation won't happen until later in the week. At least the cast is off, so I can bathe and dress more or less normally. Really missing being able to cook.

Broke the butter dish yesterday. One of the first things I bought for this apartment when I moved in long ago. Sigh.

But nothing in my minimalist packing list is made of glass, so why worry, right?

avirosemail, I missed what happened to you, but can relate to the results. I took a little spill in Croatia in September and shredded a muscle in my shoulder. The first surgery failed. Doctor said it got inside and the muscle looked like pulled pork, not enough to sew back together. So i cant reach the opposite armpit. No side to side motion, but fortunately straight forward and up to my mouth, works fine, so I can get the wineglass to the lips. We will try another surgery later this year. I am learning a lot about European healthcare and ... well ... its neither better nor worse than US care, nor is it less expensive or more expensive, just "different".

I wish you a speedy recovery.

James

oh the poor butter dish! At least you heal but without superglue the poor butter dish will never walk again...

Joking aside it is sad when something we have relied on for so long gets zunked. Been there, got the t-shirt.

I broke a dish on Friday and I have full movement.

Sorry the recovery is so slow. It must really wear you down.

Can you micro ready meals? Can you work?

Get better soon...

Avi, thanks for the update. Recover at a snail’s pace is pretty aggravating. Has your Ortho doc given you the OK to travel next month?

As an old gray-haired traveler I would urge you not to count on assistance from others for getting your bag stowed in the overhead. I can lift mine up BUT the ONLY times I’ve had other passengers ask if they can assist is when I am flying Delta One. I have always been in the position to say “thanks but let me see if I can do it myself”. In Economy Comfort I’ve never had anyone offer.

Avi, I have seen people help with bags fairly often when I fly AA in the premium economy section. I’d suggest boarding in a sling to really cinch the deal. Joking, only sort of.

When I broke my left humerus in 2016 it took months to get back to normal functioning. I was very grateful it wasn’t my right. I was able to eventually get enough range of motion back to be able to do everything that life requires but it never did reach 100% recovery. But c’est la vie, life leaves its mark. I took off on a long road trip sooner than the PT folks expected too, so I understand why you are still planning your trip. I dutifully did my exercises while I was gone, as I bet you are too.

Like Lyndash, I fly AA premium economy. I'm 5'2" and, although I can handle my carry-on, someone always insists on helping me.

Good luck with your recovery. It always seems to take longer than we think.

One of the friends that I travel with is height challenged (4'11") and is a decade older than me, in her late 70's. She just flat out asks a man around her to lift her carry-on roller bag up into the overhead compartment and I have never seen anyone turn her down. For me, when it gets to the point that I can't lift a carry-on into the overhead bin, I will just check the bag.

I still stand on the metro so other folks can sit desptie my advanced age and I lift bags for folks on most every flight. This attitude if you cant do it yourself its wrong to ask for help just isnt the world or generation I came from. I cant imagine being in a tour group full of folks like that. Wait, nothig wrong with you guys, just not my cup of tea for company. Even with my trashed out rotator cuff if i face the luggage rack straight on and do it in nothing but a forward motion.... bingo, I am still good.

Avi, my brother had a similar break. It was very slow to heal and frustrating for him. It did eventually heal. Unfortunately even with PT he never gained 100% again, but he was able to play in his basketball league again which made him extremely happy. Sending healing thoughts.

All right, I’m going to be the voice of gloom

Do not depend on the kindness of strangers to lift your luggage into the overhead bin

I realize that we have at least one report on here everyone always says yes- that is not always accurate. Some of us have long ago started saying no. we have reasons. We are not willing to risk injury because you want to bring everything you ever own in your carry-on, I used to do it and I’ve risked injury one too many times. The final decision was made after assisting a woman who was probably in her 80s. I don’t know what she had in that suitcase, but it took two of us to get in the overhead bin and we looked at each other, and I don’t know how she’s getting it down because we aren’t touching it again

I am a 65-year-old single 5’4” female. I am still working and I travel a lot for work. when somebody tries to help me I politely say “ no thank you if I can’t get it up there, I should’ve checked it.” a couple of years ago I had to have surgery on my wrist and for the months that I traveled after that my roller board went under the plane. I’m going to Europe at the end of this month and I’ve already test packed and I will be checking- the addition of some heavy sweaters, etc. has put the luggage over the limit where I feel comfortable lifting it into the overhead bin. IMHO if you can’t lift it into the overhead it gets checked.

I do admit to being a little shocked by the original posters apparent negative judgement for people who don’t have backpacks.

Do not depend on the kindness of strangers to lift your luggage into
the overhead bin

I don't disagree, but I have a 5' wife and a 4'11" mother-in-law, and so I feel an obligation to help the vertically challenged of the world.

Allan, no, no one should ever depend on those around them being helpful. Sort of a shame that. But you appear to understand that doing some things is not dependent upon the expectations of others.

And it’s not just about the vertically challenged. I come from a strange land of strange and forgotten customs. I sit on the aisle on every flight, so when the plane lands and the seatbelt lights turn off, I help pull down the luggage for both sides of the aisle and for that guy sitting in front of me but had to put his bag above my seat because that was the only free space. It’s either I get it for him, or he must fight against the flow to get back one row.

I have noticed that sometimes when I do this, others who maybe never have done such a culturally backward thing will often join in and help. Amazing about that. With my torn rotator cuff, I have to be a bit more careful, but I have narcotics if I reach in the wrong way.

Nothing wrong with the other way of lookng at life. Just different. And I understand the fear of personal injury. One must always find a personal balance between risk and enjoyment in life.

I have read Mr. E’s statement about taking luggage out of the overhead bins and distributing it several times with kind of a combination of shock and incredulity.

Are you asking people before you take their luggage down for them? are you confirming it’s their luggage, etc.?

I don’t think this should be become a standard practice and I hope it’s not spreading even though people see you do it

Here’s an example. I was on a flight a few months ago and I was in the aisle. My partner was about five rows back. when the row in front of me emptied is I just moved into the aisle in front to wait on him I left my luggage in the bin until his row started getting off so that it was not in anyone’s way,

No, it’s not he must fight against the flow to go get his luggage if he had to put it behind him. If he’s fighting against the flow to get his luggage, he’s being rude in my opinion. When I have to put my luggage behind me, I step into an empty row and I’ll wait until the aisle is clear to go back to the row where my luggage is. I don’t try to swim upstream like a salmon

Mr. E,
You are a good guy. I still hold doors open for people. I try to help those around me. Adds to the overall environment in a good way. Life is already stressful enough.

Your arm situation is definitely not humorous. I would choose the lightest spinner, which is probably the Travel Pro Max Lite. You can get it at Amazon.

Sun-Baked in Florida it seems to me that the Americans with Disabilities Act is enforceable on airlines. That would mean that if one could not physically reach the overhead bin, for whatever reason (that cannot be asked about) the airline must provide accommodation for the bag that is useable by the individual. The ADA is enforced by lawsuit, so someone just needs to sue.

Europe doesn’t have anything close to this. Many trams still require three very tall steps to enter; people help those who need it. To get a wheelchair person on some trams takes 2 or 3 bystanders to lift the individual and carry the chair in. It happens fairly regularly. In the US at crosswalks crossing lights click and beep, so the blind knows when the light is green. Here the blind go to the curb and wait for a stranger to walk them across.

When this sort of thing is such a part of daily life it becomes a cultural expression seen in the smaller details of life. One of the cultural aspects of the city that makes it a nice place to live … for me; and I am certain most places are similar. If others are bothered by it, that’s fine. No judgment.

But what ever you do don’t dawdle at the doors to the trams or metro; they will push you down to get in or off first. Go figure…..

Sun-Baked in Florida it seems to me that the Americans with Disabilities Act is enforceable on airlines. That would mean that if one could not physically reach the overhead bin, for whatever reason (that cannot be asked about) the airline must provide accommodation for the bag that is useable by the individual. The ADA is enforced by lawsuit, so someone just needs to sue.

Trust me this has been tried. The "reasonable accommodation" is that the bag is checked for free to your final destination. Airline employees are not required to put a bag in the overhead as a reasonable accommodation.

No, I wouldn't think so either, and its not st all what i said. An objectivr of the ADA is to provide assistance free accessibility. That would mean the locker by the entry door. Not someone lifting your bag for you. In any ADA issue if the solution involves outside help it is generally found not to be in compliance.

When was it tried or at least where? I would love to look it up and read the case.

EDIT: A quick look and it probably hasn't been tried, or if it was it got thrown out on day one as aircraft are exempt from the ADA. They are governed by the ACAA. Great I have something to read. My business before I retired was this stuff, so its facinating for me. Still, post that case you referenced.

Airports do quite well for the disabled. Free checked bag - Yeah! Small “motor cart” with driver to trek you out to the gate. Priority boarding. Probably seated in plane with extra leg room. Depends on mobility issues. Guide dogs. Airlines try their best.

Update regarding the roller versus backpack debate:

My surgeon says he would use a roller because if something suddenly starts hurting you can just stop and let go of the bag, while a backpack is stuck on your back.

But my new-to-me PT says that with my shoulder being in good shape, so long as I don't hoist the backpack with my bad arm or twist it uncomfortably getting into it (like loosen the strap and then tighten it when it's on my shoulders) the backpack should not be so much different for me than it usually is. Minimal packing weight assumed, of course.

I need to lay out my stuff and see how it is going to add up. Mild weather expected, so no need for coat or boots afaik.

just stop and let go of the bag

ooooo - roller bag bowling!!

That's got to be even more fun than turkey bowling!!

Great idea, Avi

Sun-Baked in Florida, and am an optimist on the goodness of humanity and think we all do pretty good on the subject.

I currently have what's known as a "frozen shoulder." Any extension of the arm or lifting it over my head is very painful. (Luckily, it should get better in 1-3 years.)

I'm sticking with my rolling bag. Yes, it hurts for a few seconds while lifting into the overhead, I prefer it over a heavy backpack in general. Others might do differently. You have to try things out to see which works best. There is no right or wrong answer just what's right or wrong for you.

I destroyed my rotator cuff in Croatia in September. My right arm motion is limited to lifting a glass from a table top up to my mouth (thank G-d I have that left). The sort of movement required to put a backpack on is painful but I still have to do it for shopping, but for traveling a roller is a lot easier. Facing straight on to the overhead on a plane is sort of like drinking I can get the bag up without a lot of pain and I can pull bags down the same way. But makes putting my bag above the seat across the asile much more convenient but not essential.