If you carry a purse, be careful not to overload it. A purse should not be much heavier than a gallon of milk. Change the shoulder you carry it on regularly to avoid causing muscle spasm that can lead to pain and warping of the spine over time.
If you use a wallet, do not carry it in a back pocket as this can put your pelvis out of alignment. Try to switch to something thin enough to fit in your front pocket, if possible.
Make sure your child’s backpack is safe for their growing spine. A backpack should never be wider or longer than a child’s torso, and the pack should be adjusted to not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing forward-leaning when walking. A child should not carry more than 10% of their own body weight, so a 50 lb child should not carry more than 5 lbs.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Erin O’Maley
