Last week a patient came to my office complaining of lower back pain.  Nothing unusual about that, but then something interesting happened.  After consultation and examination, I recommended that she begin treatment immediately.

She agreed and we proceeded to the treatment room.  I picked up her purse as we were heading out the door and almost strained my lower back!  I asked, “Is this your kettlebell or your purse?”

Just out of curiosity, I placed her handbag on the scale. We couldn’t believe that her bag weighed 12 pounds!

Now I had to wonder what she was carrying around that weighed so much.  She emptied her bag. Among the items in there that she said she absolutely needed were baby toys, two water bottles (note: water is surprisingly heavy; a 16 oz. bottle weighs more than a pound), a book, a camera, a makeup bag, her phone, a lot of change, and a huge wallet filled with credit cards and loyalty cards.

I asked her to choose just the minimum items needed for daily use.  She was able to reduce the weight to three pounds. This amounted to a 75% reduction in the weight she was carrying around, a huge difference for anyone, but especially for someone suffering with lower back pain.

If you carry a purse, I recommend the following:

• Clean out your purse. You will probably be surprised what you find in your purse that you no longer need.

• Carry only those items that you actually use every day. Larger items can stay in the car.

• If you can, leave your purse in the car. Take with you only the essentials, such as your driver’s license/ID, credit cards, health insurance card.

Now let’s look at something that is carried in purses and in back pockets – the wallet. Consider a thin wallet.  You will find many brands to choose from if you google “thin wallet” or “skinny wallet.” The thin wallet holds as much as a regular wallet, but without the bulk and with less weight.

If you carry your wallet, even a thin one, in your back pocket, I recommend that you avoid sitting.  Sitting on your wallet or sitting back against your wallet causes a torsion or rotation of the hip which may lead to hip and lower back pain and dysfunction.

You might also use a backpack to carry things around.  It may be difficult to lighten your load with a backpack, but again, remove all nonessential items.  I recommend that you choose a pack with air cushion in the lower portion of the bag to support your lumbar spine and with air cushion in the shoulder straps to keep the straps from digging into your shoulders.  It is important to wear the backpack properly (over both shoulders) to avoid neck and shoulder injuries.

Reducing the weight you carry around can make a big difference in how your spine and joints feel. This is true for body weight, your purse, a backpack, and even a thick wallet.

Small changes can make a surprising difference in how you feel.

To Your Health,

Dr. Michael J. Kaye