Balls are to men what purses are to women.
- Sarah Jessica Parker
But, is your purse killing you?
Purses are more than just accessories, the purposefulness of the purse is remarkable. We look at the purse and its contents for the story of a person. The purse is mysterious, profound, but sadly a contributing factor to chiropractic problems. Studies on purses, and how a woman fills it, offers insight to marketers. In the abyss of our purses, studies reveal the depths of our experiences, our likes, dislikes, and even a risk to our well being.
Let's get to the bottom of the purse. A study of the contents of 100 purses, which were filled, on average, with 67 items, from the mundane (lipstick, phones, gum wrappers) to the unusual (knives, sex aids, even a summons for prostitution). If someone were to look into that cute purse of yours, what would they find? How much does your stuff weigh in that purse? What if someone were to look into that bottomless pit of a purse right now. Would they discover an organized or disorganized woman? A hoarder or lipstick and a cosmetic junkie? What lies buried in the accumulation of the crumbs of protein bars, old receipts and lots of loose change? We are carrying way too much in our shoulder and totes for our poor necks and backs to handle. The purse is a virtual melting pot of collecting odds and ends in our daily lives, and it weighs heavily on our shoulders.
The purse can be the brunt of many a joke. Here is one that best exemplifies how we carry the weight on our shoulders:
As the bus pulled away, I realized I had left my purse under the seat. Later, I called the company and was relieved that the driver had found my bag.
When I went to pick it up, several off-duty bus drivers surrounded me. One man handed me my pocketbook, two typewritten pages and a box containing the contents of my purse.
"We're required to inventory lost wallets and purses," he explained. "I think you'll find everything there." I started to put my belongings back into the pocketbook, the man continued, "I hope you don't mind if we watch. Even though we all tried, none of us could fit everything into your purse – and we'd like to see just how you do it."
There it is, too much in one precious, designer or not, handbag we attach to our sides for many hours and lots of miles. Is your bag a pain on your back? Chiropractors agree on methods to save our aching backs, by suggesting how we can stay upright, healthy and hopefully hurting less from the added weight.
The American Chiropractic Association figures that, at any given time, about “50 percent of the US population is experiencing back pain, and heavy purses are to blame”. You are throwing your natural stride off, according to Dr. Robert A. Hayden, a chiropractor and founder of The Iris City Chiropractic Center in Atlanta, "One of the consequences of carrying a shoulder bag on one shoulder is that it significantly interferes with the normal gait. When you are weighing one side of your body down more so than the other, problems develop due to the lack of balance," says thejoint.com.
Ouch! Suddenly, your muscles are becoming stiff from constantly carrying a heavy purse, you feel spasms in your trapezoids located on top of your shoulders. You may also experience the discomfort of severe tension and achiness in your neck and back.
You can alleviate the back pain by carrying a lighter bag! You really only need a few essentials at a time so clean out that purse! Make the inside as cute as the outside. Make it lighter, cleaner, and keep your shoulders and back from hurting.
Select a more ergonomically-friendly purse style, one with wider straps or a cross-body bag to better distribute the weight.
If your purse has become a pain, head to the chiropractor for an adjustment! You'll be given the remedies and the keys to sensibly carrying that oversized purse in a more natural manner.
Purses are more than just accessories, the purse is a highly personal entity. The purse is powerful, it holds all that we accumulate daily, and it can just get too heavy, a burden on our shoulders. We must learn to lighten our loads. Learn how to carry your purse in a natural manner, evenly distributing your weight, and choosing a style that lies flat on your shoulders. Take inventory of what you really need in your purse for your commute to work, and throughout the day, and eliminate what you don’t need. Stay stylish, cute, and pain-free from now on, and your back will stay straight and strong. Is your purse killing you?
