It may come as a surprise to all of you that carry around large heavy handbags that they could be causing your back a problem. Maybe some of you already know this though!
Research* undertaken by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) in 2017 found that 73% of women surveyed had suffered with back pain with experts pointing to their wardrobe as a major cause of discomfort. The BCA advised that carrying oversized bags and bags worn on one side of the body was in the top 5** most worn clothing culprits which can cause back and neck pain.
If you are carrying around a heavy bag or one that you wear to one side then our chiropractors at City Chiropractic in Stoke-on-Trent offer this advice:
Keep It light: Declutter your bag to make it as light as possible.
Alternate shoulders: If you do carry you bag over your shoulder then make sure to alternate shoulders on a frequent basis.
Cross it over your body: If your bag has a long strap then wear it crossed over your body.
Keep your back bag safe.
*The 2017 research was carried out between 14/02/2017 and 20/02/2017 on a sample of 2,082 UK adults aged 16 + on behalf of the British Chiropractic Association
**Most popular clothing choices among women which could cause neck and back pain:
| Women | |
| Skinny jeans | 48% |
| Bags worn on one side of the body | 46% |
| Coats with large fluffy hoods | 37% |
| High heeled shoes | 26% |
| Oversized bags | 24% |
| Backless shoes e.g. mules | 20% |