Your bag could be a health hazard

You might be eating all right, sleeping good and going about the right exercises. Yet, the unlikely trigger for your health problems could be your choice of bag.

Recently celebrity Victoria Beckham aka Posh came under the scanner for causing pain in women's neck and shoulders because of the bag style that she had inspired. The trend, of course, looks glamorous but in reality can cause severe damage to muscles and joints. The problem has been termed 'Poshitis' and it causes sprain or tear in muscles and tendons due to heavy bags. Doctors have warned women of copying their style icon as it has been found to be hazardous.

Though much ignored, bags can indeed have a major influence on well-being. "Most of us do end up carrying an uneven load which can cause anything from back pain, repetitive strain injury of the neck and shoulder, to major spine misalignment issues," says Dr Dhananjay Gupta, orthopaedic consultant, Orthonova Hospital.

With an increase in travel frequency and changing needs as well lifestyles, the number of people suffering from health problems due to bags is on the rise.

"Younger and younger people are suffering from this problem and we are witnessing a paradigm shift in the age group that is suffering from backaches," says Dr Neeraj Jain, spine and pain specialist at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute.

A study done by Dr Deepak Sharan of Bangalore-based RECOUP Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Centre has found that problems resulting from the use of backpacks among school kids have increased substantially. Students were found to have pressure marks over neck and shoulder corresponding to the straps of the backpacks. They were also found to have stooping postures, pain and stiffness in the neck, upper back and shoulders predominantly, while carrying the school bags.

HANDBAG
Increasingly, women are stacking more gadgets such as iPods, cell phones, and digital cameras, which has created a demand for larger handbags and totes. So, it comes as no surprise that more and more women are ending up with neck and back pain.

Health hazards:
Shoulder:Carrying a heavy bag or purse on one side of the body leads to an imbalance in posture. It also presses muscles and nerves in the neck which run down to the shoulder and are severely strained due to constant load. If proper care is not taken in time, it can lead to frozen shoulder and arthritis. "Cumbersome bags may leave you with back, neck, and shoulder pain, even headaches, and can aggravate the arthritis conditions," warns Dr Anurag Tripathy, city based orthopaedic specialist.

Back:In the long term, you might end up with soft tissue injuries and posture misalignment without you even noticing. Carrying bags weighing more than 2 kgs on a regular basis can result in muscle pain and spine problems.

Neck:When you carry a bag, your neck naturally leans away from the load to help carry and balance the weight. This causes tension on the carrying side of the neck and compression on the opposite side. "When the muscles are fatigued, they won't hold the spine correctly and will slip into poor posture, slumped with curved back and shoulders," says Dr Tripathi. Long term, this can lead to painful arthritis of the joints.

Legs:You could also develop arthritis from increased pressure over the long term. "Carrying a bag makes you walk differently, and that changes the way forces act through the skeletal system, which could cause problems," says Dr Deepak Sharan of RECOUP Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Centre. The greater the load of the bag, the more pressure on the leg joints. Over a long period, force on the knees can cause wear and tear and joint problems.

Carry it right:Use a bag with two shoulder straps or a case with wheels is a good bet. It is important not to carry the entire weight of the bag on one shoulder. This can lead to improper weight distribution in the neck, shoulder, and back. Postural imbalances can have consequences to the spinal disc and overall nervous system. "Carrying anything between 1 to 1.8 kgs is fine. Try to restrict to 1.5 kg," he says.

BACKPACK
The easiest way to speed up your packing is to haul everything you see into that voluminous backpack. People on the move tend to carry heavy laptops along with other accessories in their backpacks. While backpacks are always a better choice than those single strap handbags, they still come with their own ills.

Health hazards:A common side effect of using these risky bags is that one shoulder becomes slightly elevated. You don't want to live with irregular shoulders. "A child wearing a backpack incorrectly or that is too heavy can land himself in not just discomfort but fatigue, muscle soreness, and musculoskeletal pain especially in the lower back," says Dr Jain. Overloading the bicep for a prolonged period, especially when the arm is at a 90-degree angle, can lead to pain in the arm. And when hung on one arm, it is further away from the body's point of balance. Imbalance is bad for posture and can lead to discomfort.

Carry it right:It is important to distribute weight evenly across the backs, in order to prevent spinal stress and dysfunction that causes pain. Backpacks are supposed to be no longer than the wearer's torso- from the base of the neck to the hips. If used correctly, they can prevent injuries. On the other hand, a rolling laptop case can also offer relief to those suffering with back problems. A laptop backpack relieves back strain caused by other kinds of bags, while also offering hands-free mobility.

HAND PURSE
Heavy hand purses carried on long term basis can lead to lopsided walking, distorting our posture and leaving us with aching backs, shoulders, necks and hips.

Health hazards:Toting a hand purse can distort your balance and posture by forcing you to raise your shoulder and lean sideways to support the uneven load on your body. Over time, the natural alignment of your spine may be altered, which can lead to muscle strain, headache, back, neck, arm and shoulder pain.

Carry it right:Avoid long straps and chain handles and of course those slouchy canvas bags. "It's good to opt for structure in your bags because when items shift around and are not distributed well, the balance goes for a toss. Regularly switch the bag to the opposite side of the body, or try to position the purse to the front of the body," says Dr Dhananjoy.