2nd October 2009
The Big Bag Amnesty for Back Care Awareness Week
Unnecessary pressure on our backs and shoulders which can severely damage our mobility in the longer term. During Back Care Awareness Week the BOA is asking people to make lifestyle changes to protect their postural integrity – the first of which is to leave big bags at home Ben Barker at Total Health Clinics, explains the problem:
Local Osteopath Ben Barker, a member of the British Osteopathic Association (BOA) is calling for a Big Bag Amnesty during Back Care Awareness Week (from 10-16 October 2009) to educate people about the dangers of regularly carrying too much baggage. “The answer is simple – don’t carry a heavy bag. Think carefully about whether you need to take everything with you. If you like having perfume, hairspray, make-up, hair straighteners etc with you all day long, consider keeping a second beauty kit at work rather than carrying it around with you.”
“If your job requires you to have a heavy diary, documents and contact book at all times – consider using an iPhone or Blackberry instead to save you from having to carry work paraphenalia when you’re on the move.”
Points to consider:
- Carrying bags can seriously damage our health and postural integrity – leading to problems with our spine, lower back, pelvis and feet.
- A heavy load on one shoulder accentuates your spinal curve and leads the opposite to compensate in order to redress the balance.
- Women, in particular, can be guilty of carrying bags as heavy as 5lbs (five bags of sugar) – ideally you shouldn’t carry more than 2lbs.
For further information regarding the Big Bag Police and there awareness week contact the Total Health Clinics by phoning your local clinic or alternatively email at ben.barker@totalhealthclinics.com.
