With big handbags becoming a key fashion accessory(1) for working women, health experts are warning they can also become a key health concern.

Bags for women have become bigger and heavier as designers combine briefcases with handbags and straps(2) have become longer but the extra leverage has many patients complaining of neck, shoulder and back problems.

"I see so many women with neck pains and headaches and what I usually do is look for their purse and pick it up," said Jane Sadler, a family practice physician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas.

"We take it over to the scale and weigh it and usually they're anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds (3.1-4.5 kgs)...We're really going to see women with more and more problems later on if we continue the big purse craze."

William Case, a physical therapist(3) in private practice in Houston, said an aggravated(4) neck or shoulder can lead to upper back problems, meaning pain may then be felt while working at a computer or playing sports.

He urged designers "to place a cute, educational caution tag on all bags to inform of potential neck and shoulder dangers."

Above all, he recommended correct posture while carrying bulky(5) purses, keeping the head and shoulders aligned(6) upright. Patients should also frequently change the size and weight of purses carried.

"The extra-large purses are quite phenomenal. They look beautiful when the women wear them, but I don't know how aware they are of the potential problems," Case said.

"The trend is either very large or very small. People go to the gym, they have an extra pair of shoes, they have their make-up, so there's more stuff to carry around," said Ellen Campuzano, president of the Committee for Color and Trend, a fashion forecasting service.

Traditionally women adopted better postures for carrying loads, such as baskets on heads or strapping a papoose(7) across the back, but placing objects on one shoulder was one of the least efficient ways of carrying a load.

"This causes a great imbalance. You only have to see people carrying bags in shopping centers, looking hunched(8) up like Quasimodo(9)," he said.

"If it (a big bag) is a fashion accessory, then occasional(10) and symbolic(11) use is fine. If not, then keep it light."

大手提包逐漸成為職業女性主要時尚配件之一，但是健康專家提醒它們同時也是主要健康隱患之一。

設計師喜歡將公文包、手提包結合在一起并搭配長長的提帶，結果是包包們越來越大、越來越重。超負荷使人們開始抱怨頸部、肩部和背部的不適。

德克薩斯加蘭貝樂診療中心家庭醫生Jane Sadler說：“很多女性抱怨脖子和頭疼，我通常會看看她們的手提包，然后掂量一下。”

“我們將包放在秤上稱重，通常它們都有7到10磅（3.1-4.5公斤）…如果大包熱還不退燒的話，女性會遇到更多問題。”

休斯頓私人理療師William Case說，頸肩疾病持續惡化會導致上半后背問題，那樣在操作電腦或者運動時候會感到疼痛。

他建議設計師們在所有的包包上都掛一個可愛的指導標簽，注明潛在頸肩隱患。

綜上所述，他建議女性們使用正確的姿勢，保證頭與肩膀處于同一直線。患者還應經常變換包包的大小和重量。

Case說：“超大的提包很搶眼。女性搭配它們都很漂亮，但是我不確定她們都能意識到潛在問題。”

時尚預測服務機構顏色時尚委員會主席Ellen Campuzano說：“特大和特小都有可能成為流行風尚。人們得去健身，需要一雙替換鞋，還有很多化妝品，總之人們要隨身帶的東西越來越多。”

傳統婦女的負重姿勢更為科學，例如用頭頂籃子或者將孩子綁在背上，只用一只肩膀負重的方法是最缺乏效率的。

他說：“這引起嚴重的不平衡。你只要看看在商場購物的人們，他們像鐘樓怪人一樣彎腰駝背。”

“如果大包的確是時尚元素，那就分場合、象征性地搭配就好。如果不是，越輕越好。”