Voice- The Bodyshop with Jennifer Black and Dr. Steve is brought to you by Allegheny Chesapeake Physical Therapy.
Jennifer Black - Tonight we are going to talk about hand bags. Dr. Steve, what do hand bags have to do with health?
Dr. Steve - What purses have to do with health is that a heavy purse can lead to neck pain Headaches, and pain going down your arm. So, fashion is fine, but just because a hand bag is large doesn't mean that it has to have a large load.
Jennifer, this is very similar to what we talked about in the past about back packs. However, back packs are actually meant to carry a load; purses are not. So, just like you do with a back packs -pack them light.
As you can see we have many purses as examples and the average load of a woman's purse is 13 pounds. That's heavier than a gallon of milk! So, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Minimize the stuff in your purse - try to develop a routine where you de-clutter your purse daily.
Chose your bag carefully - leather bags weigh more than other nylon material bags.
Change the shoulder you carry your purse on frequently - at least every 10 minutes. When carrying a purse, stand tall but relax your shoulders.
Don't talk on a cell phone when you are carrying your hand bag that just puts additional strain between your neck and your shoulder.
Stretch if you are tired by taking your hand bag off and stretching out your neck and shoulders.
Remember, the size of the bag does not mean that it has to have a bigger load.
Our tendency when we carry a load, especially with the straps your see on hand bags, is to raise our shoulder and hold it there so we can balance the bag and compensate for that load. However, what that does is that the muscle that raises your shoulder attaches to your neck and creates a strain, which causes pain and headaches. This can lead to medical attention, but we forget the simple things in life like looking at our daily activities such as carrying a purse. So, keep the fashion, but unload the bag.
Jennifer Black - Thanks Dr. Steve I didn't think my purse could be the cause of pain. If you have any questions for Dr. Steve or you would like your question answered by Dr. Steve on the air, contact him at www.alleghenychesapeake.com or 1-800-NEW-SELF.
Dr. Steve Show/The Body Shop