Tips for Preventing Handbag Hazards
Big Bag Dangers

Wednesday, April 23 - Channel 9 WGN Chicago

In tonight's Medical Watch -- breaking your back with a big purse. Believe it or not the oversized bags carry a real danger for permanent damage. Medical reporter Dina Bair picks up the story.

"I have three notebooks a wallet, makeup, bills, business cards, keys."

For all that stuff a girl needs a big bag.

Michelle: "I know it probably isn't healthy but I get so many compliments on this thing that I'm thinking from a fashion standpoint that's probably more important than blood circulation."

Most women do choose fashion over feeling.

Courtney: "Down my back I have a lot of pain sometimes."

Paula Ellis: "I started noticing the neck all the shoulder down was just killing me just aching."

Michelle: I'll take it off and all of the sudden my arm is asleep I just feel like the muscles die and I end up carrying around more than I need to."

And that adds up ... pounds in the purse and chronic pain in the neck.

"If you take the neck out of that alignment it starts to put pressure on certain points."

Dr. Christine Villoch, CINN Physiatrist: "If you are having neck pain that could be signs of a herniated disc or pinched nerve. It can cause some neck tension and some muscle tension and some strains of those muscles and ligaments."

Dina Bair: "To prevent problems pay attention to how you hold THE BAG ... keep good posture and don't lean forward to carry the load. As for what's inside ... unload if the bag is more than 10% of your body weight ... and if you can't lose the weight at least balance it."

"A lot of people at my work carry backpacks and I have considered that."

Consider this: if you don't make a change you may need a shot in the neck in the form of cortisone injections ... Paula Ellis got them and physical therapy. Now she's made the wise choice ... cruising to a pain free life without losing the things she needs to carry.

Paula Ellis: "I went and got the executive bag the roller bag. When I switched I said oh my this feels light as a feather."

Maybe not high fashion but the move is highly intelligent.

More tips for handling heavy bags:

10% of Body Weight
You should tote no more than 10 percent of your body weight-so a 130 lb. woman should carry no more than 13 lbs. If your load is excessive, your head and neck jut forward rather than staying over your shoulders, which can lead to headaches, neck tension, and back pain.

Short, wide  handles
Long-strapped shoulder bags tug you to one side in a C shape, with the purse bumping at your hip and the strap slipping (so you hunch up your shoulder to keep it in place). A wider strap will stay in place.

Finding the sweet spot
A purse should automatically find the perfect spot between your side and arm. If it's over your forearm, it should be right at your waist (which means women with long torsos or a lot of height can afford a deeper bag).

Balancing
Watch that your whole load isn't on the same side.  Carry a bag on one shoulder and a short-handled tote in the other hand, so you're balanced. 

Switch Sides
Alternate sides when carrying just one bag.

Alternatives to handbags
Fanny packs are great because they rest on the lower lumbar vertebrae-large bones intended to bear more weight than the neck and upper back. Use backpacks to transport something heavy, like a laptop, but carry them low and keep your chest open.

The Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago is the country's first freestanding acute care hospital dedicated exclusively to neuroscience and orthopedic services. It utilizes breakthrough technology and minimally invasive techniques as well as advanced procedures for neurosurgery, orthopedics, pain management, neuro-oncology, sports medicine, and rehabilitation.