The Weight of Work: How Your Bag Is Wracking Your Shoulders

Some office workers often carry an overloaded handbag or laptop bag when they go out to meet clients, which can cause them shoulder pain. This is because most people tend to use only a single side of their shoulder and hand when carrying heavy objects, without changing their posture or putting down their bags throughout the day. As a result, that shoulder becomes higher than the other while the cervical spine and the head will also tilt forward, making the 4th, 5th, and 6th cervical vertebrae more prone to injuries over time.

Our cervical spine supports our head which weighs about 12 pounds, roughly the weight of a bowling ball. If our cervical spine tilts forward and is further burdened by the weight of a bag, it can cause cervical subluxation. If the misaligned vertebra compresses the nerves connecting to our arms and hands, we’ll suffer from shoulder pain, arm pain, and numbness in the fingers, especially the little finger.

In particular, ladies love to stuff their handbags with all sorts of items like mobile phones, wallets, makeup bags, etc. Some even use their handbags as briefcases, packing in notebooks, iPads, folders, magazines and so on. With these kinds of stuff plus the weight of the bag itself, it can easily weigh several kilograms. Although handbags have diverse styles, most of them are designed for single-sided carrying on shoulders or in hands. Carrying an overloaded handbag on a single arm or shoulder for a long time can cause uneven shoulders, shoulder and neck pain, and even cervical subluxation.

To prevent pain and discomfort, it's essential to reduce the weight of your handbag or purse. The weight of your bag plus its contents should not exceed 3 kilograms. When choosing a handbag or purse, opt for those with lighter and thinner materials and wider shoulder straps. You should also slim down the contents of your bag and remove unnecessary items to ease the pressure on your shoulders.

If you use a shoulder bag, alternate it from side to side every 20 to 30 minutes. When carrying a handbag, try to grip it with a natural posture and rely on your shoulder and back muscles rather than bending your forearm to carry the load. If necessary, put heavier items such as files or iPads in another bag and carry them in your other hand to reduce the weight of your bag. You can also do regular exercises to relieve shoulder tension and make your neck and shoulder feel better.

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