A variety of flexible body harnesses are provided to distribute loads comfortably and evenly across one or more segments of the human body. The trajectories of load-bearing straps of the provided body harnesses apply shear to underlying portions of skin of a body segment evenly across the length of the load-bearing straps. Such trajectories can approximate catenary curves as the straps encircle the body segment. The trajectories of such straps around a body segment are maintained by attaching the straps to an underlayer, by incorporating the straps into a flexible material, and/or by weaving further straps around the load-bearing straps to maintain their relative location and/or curvature. Such body harnesses can be provided as part of assistive, rehabilitative, prosthetic, or strength-enhancing systems configured to apply forces to the body via the body harnesses.