In this paper, Rayleigh backscattering sensors (RBS) are used to realize shape sensing of beam-like structures. Compared to conventional shape sensing systems based on fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, RBS are capable of continuous lateral sensing. Compared to other types of distributed fibre optic sensors (FOS), RBS have a higher spatial resolution. First, the RBS’s strain sensing accuracy is validated by an experiment comparing it with strain gauge response. After that, twoshapesensingalgorithms(thecoordinatetransformationmethod(CTM)andthestrain-deflection equationmethod(SDEM))basedonthedistributedFOS’inputstraindataarederived. Thealgorithms arethenoptimizedaccordingtothedistributedFOS’features,tomakeitapplicabletocomplexand/or combine loading situations while maintaining high reliability in case of sensing part malfunction. Numerical simulations are carried out to validate the algorithms’ accuracy and compare their accuracy. The simulation shows that compared to the FBG-based system, the RBS system has a better performance in configuring the shape when the structure is under complex loading. Finally, avalidationexperimentisconductedinwhichtheRBS-basedshapesensingsystemisusedtoconfigure the shape of a composite cantilever-beam-like specimen under concentrated loading. The result is then compared with the optical camera-measured shape. The experimental results show that both shape sensing algorithms predict the shape with high accuracy comparable with the optical camera result.