Chloe Paddington Bag

Chloe Paddington Bag

We all want the latest 'It' bag and once we get our hands on one we never want it to leave our side but carrying your life around in your handbag could be damaging your health.

Most of us out there are willing to suffer for fashion, whether it’s aching feet from killer heels or squeezing ourselves into skinny jeans over and over again.

The fact is, looking good is what matters and a few aches and pains are a small price to pay, because like it or not, we want to look stylish if it kills us. The worrying thing is there’s a current trend that could end up doing serious harm.

You know how it is, rushing for work in the morning you’re grabbing all the ‘essentials’ – full make-up bag, diary, address book, phone, purse, lunch. Before you know it you’ve get everything but the kitchen sink.

It’s ok though, because you’ve got a gorgeous, super-size designer bag to lug it all around it. Large totes are all the rage at the moment with designers sending their models down catwalks with accessories that probably weigh more than they do.

However, shoulder and neck pain caused by carrying such a heavy load can result in muscle and nerve damage that takes years for a physiotherapist to correct.

Chiropractors have this week released reports saying they were seriously considering issuing a medical warning after seeing a noticeable increase in the number of 'heavy handbag related injuries'.

Studies have shown that today’s modern woman carries twice as much in her handbag as her mother would have. Not only that, but with zips, chains and all kinds of bling, the bags themselves are already pretty hefty.

Tim Hutchful of the British Chiropractic Association told The Daily Mail: “The problem with carrying a heavy bag is that while it may not cause you an injury at the time you carry it, over time it has a cumulative effect, and we're certainly seeing more instances of back pain triggered as a result.”

Carrying a bag on one shoulder might look cool and carefree, but it can lead to neck injuries from stretched nerves. Your body stance can also shift and become lop-sided as the muscles on one side are shortened meaning back pains and aches.

Swinging your bag on the crook of your arm can do further damage as it is putting even more strain on your body because it is further away from your centre of gravity.

One way to combat the problem is to distribute the weight evenly across both your shoulders. Carrying your possessions in a rucksack with two straps might be the ideal solution, but let’s face it, how many Marc Jacobs backpacks are there out there?

Experts have also said that regular exercise to ensure strong muscles and sensible shoes to help with balance are two ways to improve the problem. Unfortunately other than that there’s not much more that can be done. So next time you’re filling up your arm candy for the day think about how much you really need.

In the long run it’s no good having a beautiful bag if your shoulder aches too much for you to really show it off.

Female First – Jacqueline Farrer