Whether you’re a student, a parent, or a traveler, there may come a time in your life where you’ve got to tote a lot of things around with you when you leave the house. And while it’s good to be prepared and have what you need, lugging around a large bag, even one that might be as fashionable as a leather tote, can actually be harmful to your body if you’re not careful. Luckily, there are things that you can do to help keep your body strong and solid even when carrying around a lot of extra weight with you.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three tips for protecting your body when carrying around a heavy bag.
Choose Pieces That Can Handle The Weight
If you know that you’re going to be carrying a large number of items around with you on a regular basis, you’re going to want to be sure that the bag you choose to carry these items in can handle the necessary weight.
In these situations, the ideal bag is going to be something that’s sturdy and strong. Look for a bag that’s made of lighter materials so that the bag itself isn’t adding a lot of extra weight for you to carry. Along with the weight of the materials, try to find bags that have wider straps so that the bag is more comfortable to carry on your body and doesn’t dig into your skin.
Use Your Body Evenly
If the bag you’re carrying is one that’s meant to be worn on just one shoulder, the weight on the one shoulder can get very hard to manage. So while you might have a shoulder that you feel more comfortable using, it’s wise to switch sides on a regular basis so that you’re using your body evenly.
By doing this, not only will you keep your shoulder or the side of your body from getting more fatigued and injured, but when you switch sides, you’ll be building the muscles on both sides of your body. This way, you can start to get stronger under the weight of your pack.
Work On Your Posture
When your body is trying to carry more weight than it’s used to, it can wreak havoc with your posture. But if you start having your posture slip, carrying that heavy item can be even harder on you physically.
To fight against this, make sure you try to always have good posture when you’re carrying something heavy. While this can be difficult at first, it will be much better for you when it comes to avoiding injury and keeping your body strong.
If you have a heavy bag that you’re carrying around on a regular basis, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how to protect your body.
