How do you carry your shopping bags?

What way do you carry an over sized or overloaded handbag/shopping bag?

The most popular bag carrying style called “Poshitis” which has now become a major fashion trend thanks to Victoria Beckham, is (putting the straps of the bag in the crook of your elbow) this can cause serious injury. Even though it may be fashionable it can cause muscles to tear and tendons to inflame.

Carrying too heavy shopping bags incorrectly may place additional strain on the neck, shoulder, elbow, and/or wrist. If there is an area in your body that has an underlying weakness (due to past injury, poor posture, or inactivity), then carrying bags may cause pain.

The pain may come on whilst shopping, shortly after, or not until weeks after. It may also cause a Rotator cuff injury. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint keeping the head of the upper arm bone in place. This injury can cause a dull ache in the shoulder which can become worse when you try to sleep on your side.

The injury can have lifelong consequences.

Here are some cool things to try next time you go shopping:

Use a nana trolley (shopping bag on wheels like a suitcase) to store your groceries ;

Buy an extra shopping bag to even out the weight of your groceries ;

instead of using a plastic bag use a cooler bag (easier to hold and environmentally friendly ) ;

instead of placing bag on your forearm try to use both hands to carry evenly carry your shopping bag ;

dc

David Chapman - Chiropractor and Ergonomic enthusiast