We have all been culprits when it comes to the crime of carrying too heavy a purse.
We love our giant totes and being able to accommodate all our essentials.
So what if we carry around those heavy bags for a few hours here or there.
It couldn’t havethatmuch of an effect on our bodies, right?
Several studies show just how much our fabulous purses can affect our day-to-day lives.
The overall strain and stress
Carrying a heavy purse can have extreme effects on our bodies.
She weighed their bags and found the heft to be between 8 to 22 pounds.
As CBS described it, this is “about the size of a newborn to a 1-year-old.”
We’re carrying all of that weight around on a daily basis?
No wonder we’re feeling the burn.
She said, “We’re leading such sedentary lifestyles…We’re so much weaker than ever.
Then, we carry this heavy weight for a prolonged time causing undue stress and strain.”
How does that even happen?
The Huffington Postspokewith chiropractor Dr. Karen Erickson who broke down the reason for the tension headaches.
It goes back to the fact that the muscles are forced to help with supporting the weight.
So how can you know for sure if a headache is due to your larger tote?
Loading so much weight on one side of our bodies definitely impacts us over time.Dr.
This has a serious effect on the body’s overall balance.
And the hardest part to hear?
Your heels can be causing some serious problems too.
This then travels to the base of the neck.
So what kind of lasting effects can this have?
It can cause “military neck,” which is a decreased curve in the neck.
And even beyond that, Dr. Erickson brought up the possibility of arthritis.
And it’s not just holding our purses on our shoulders that creates issues.
When we rock them at the crook of our elbow, the effects are not much better.Dr.
Keep an eye on your posture
So what can you do to solve these problems?
Start with your purse posture.
He said, “I just think you oughta get a bag that’s as small as possible.
Things looking a little janky in the mirror?
Sometimes it’s as easy as balancing yourself out.
Dr. Chhatrespoke withNY Magabout “the purse-and-tote-bag model of living.”
If you have your purse on one side of your body, carry a tote on the other.
A great idea, but just confirm both sides aren’t too heavy, which can cause overall strain.
One key way to do this: find a purse with a wider strap.Dr.
Hayden says, “The wider the strap, the better.”
A wider strap creates an overall wider surface-contact area, allowing the weight to be distributed more evenly.
“That’s a pretty delicate area in terms of potential injury from heavy weight.”
A narrow strap concentrates force.”
One purchase that ends up helping your body and overall health?
Seems like some justified retail therapy!
So what can be done to remedy the situation?
Dr. Elattrache recommends an exercise that can either be done with a fitness band or in a swimming pool.
Live with a little less
And now it’s time for a compromise.
So what is the best way to rock the beloved purse?
It’s key to constantly remove items.
Sounds like a win-win to us!
