Is your Man Bag weighing you down? North London Chiropractor, Dylan Paydar offers advice to keep your back safe …

Technology has made it easier for us to keep in touch, be more mobile as far as work is concerned and even have fun but there’s a lot of it to carry around.  In fact, a recent survey by Vouchercodes found that men carry around about £880 worth of items. These include smartphones, laptops, glasses and digital cameras.

Men are quickly catching up with women as far as how much they carry around – hence the rise in the ‘Man Bag’.  With the average weight of a the contents of a bag coming in at around 6.2 kilos* according to an estimate calculated by the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) back in 2011. That’s equivalent of 12 bags of sugar!

Of course, carrying around these bags for any extended period of time brings rise to a number of problems and discomforts, especially backs and shoulders.

If your ‘Man bag’ is weighing you down, here’s our advice to keep your back and shoulders safe:

• Avoid carrying an over the shoulder bag always on one side – alternate the sides so that you distribute the weight across both sides of your body.
• Keep straps as short as possible and if using a rucksack style bag adjust the straps to keep the bag as close to your back as possible.
• If you are using a rucksack style bag then use it over both shoulders and avoid carrying it over one shoulder
• Avoid standing in one position for a long period of time. Adjust your position and take time out to stretch out your back muscles regularly.
• Only carry what is absolutely necessary.

Remember your man bag is heavier than you probably  think and the simplest way to keep your back and shoulders safe is to avoid carrying it for prolonged periods of time – so remember to take regular breaks and have a good stretch.

If you are suffering from the effects of carrying your man bag then why not visit us at Muswell Hill Chiropractic Clinic in North London where our experienced North London Chiropractor can help you get your back and shoulders better.

*Avg weight of contents based on 3kg laptop, 2kg gym kit, 0.5kg lunch, 0.5kg book, 100g phone/blackberry and 100g iPod.