It’s that time of year again, the students are back at the books and the rest of us are getting our minds back to the office. Many of us are carrying heavy loads back and forth during the day. The amount of stuff we carry around with us can impact our spine, our posture and our overall level of tension in the body. Keeping in mind some easy tips can prevent pain and strain.
Choosing your bag - the ideal type of bag for you or your child is one on wheels (no pack mule necessary). The second best choice would be a back pack with 2 straps. Once you have to straps, be sure to use them. Carrying your bag or purse on one side can lead to habitual patterns in our body, such as chronically short and tight muscles, that can lead to problems down the line.
Encourage your kids to tighten the straps so that the bag is in contact with their back, not that ever so hip "saggy pack".
A pack with a waist strap is another great way to distribute weight.
Pick a bag with plenty of compartments to distribute the load evenly throughout the bag.
Packing your Pack - carry the heaviest items closest to your body. Distribute other items evenly throughout the various compartments. You should ideally only be carrying 15% of your body weight. This can add up fast.
A 150 lb adult may carry a laptop (6 lbs), lunch (2 lbs), shoes (2 lbs), an ipod (.05 lbs), workout gear (10 lbs) and a water bottle (0.5 lbs) and almost have reached their maxiumum weight allowance of 22 lbs.
Lifting your pack - The best way to get your pack on your back is from resting it on a table with the straps a little loose. Back into it, putting one strap on at a time and then tighten the straps to the appropriate tension. When lifting from the floor, keep a slight bend in your knees and keep the curve in your lower back, avoiding any rounding postures.
A Little Mindfulness Goes a Long Way - It is the little tasks in our day that add up to create our life. If we take the time to pay attention to how we lift, carry and move, we can avoid problems from developing in ours.
