So how heavy is your handbag?

By Lisa Jewell Independent.ie

It may be an essential fashion accessory but a survey finds that the average modern hold-all now weighs a ton, and may be a health risk. They're a fashion accessory -- and, really, an absolute necessity -- but modern handbags are quite literally weighing down the modern woman. A new survey has shown that the average weight of a woman's handbag has increased by 38pc over the past five years and now tips the scales at 2.37 kilos (5lbs).

It seems that high-tech gadgets like mobile phones, MP3 players and digital cameras are partly responsible for this increase in weight. However, old handbag favourites such as make-up, hairbrushes, purses and mirrors are still ever-present in Irish women's handbags. The survey was carried out by UK supermarket chain ASDA. We're amazed by how quickly the weight of a handbag has grown -- especially since 2.37 kilos represents only the average figure," says brand director Fiona Lambert.

"This means that, at the extremes, there must be some women carrying handbags which are so heavy that they would put Sherpa Tenzing to shame. "The stress endured by the material and straps of a heavily laden bag as it swings freely from the shoulder is considerable. "It can be the equivalent of a hod carrier on a building site." The increasing weight means that shoulder bags are now the accessory of choice instead of bags carried in the hand or hooked over the elbow. However, the trend for oversized bags means there is even more space to fill with personal possessions. The bigger the bag, the more tempting it is to pack it all in. And carrying that amount of weight every day can have serious health consequences. "When weight is unevenly distributed on one side of the body, it can affect the neck and work its way to the middle of the back," says chiropractor Attracta Farrell of the Athenry Chiropractic and Complementary Health Clinic. "If it's severe enough, it can cause headaches. Handbag weight isn't something that women think can cause back problems -- I sometimes ask clients if I can lift up their bags and the weight is unreal." She advises women to carry the minimum amount of items in their bags and, if possible, to wear a rucksack-type design. "It distributes the weight more evenly across the body. But I have noticed that type of design has gone out of fashion, in favour of the bigger bags. "You should also alternate the bag from one shoulder to another, every 10-15 minutes."

Pack-it-all-in Lisa Lambe (25) is an actress Handbag contents Beret Big make-up bag Wallet Bottle of leave-in conditioner Travel toothbrush Hand cream Travel size hairbrush Script Paperback book Mobile phone Bottle of water iPod Due to the fact that she's out and about in Dublin city most of the time, Lisa has to be ready for different eventualities. "I tend to carry a lot of things around with me, because I don't know how long I might end up staying in town," she says. "I might be going from an audition to rehearsals and then meet up with friends later on."

A self-confessed bag enthusiast, she loves big leather shoulder bags. "My favourite one for everyday use is my leather Miu Miu bag. I love when the leather in the bag gets a little broken in -- it looks great." Lisa says her bags do weigh quite a bit, even when there's nothing in them. "My sisters would ask me where was I going with all that stuff in my bag but it's really about being prepared. "I usually bring make-up with me in case something crops up -- like one time I had to do a photo shoot at short notice, so I needed to have make-up in my bag." Knowing that she carries a lot of things in her bag, Lisa's friends know who to ask for headache tablets or a pen.

The downside is that the heavy handbag can be a strain on Lisa's upper body. "I tend to keep it on my right shoulder and it does feel really sore sometimes. I probably should do a total clean-out." In April, Lisa will be returning to her role as Sorcha in 'The Last Days of the Celtic Tiger' by Ross O'Carroll-Kelly. "The handbags that Sorcha has on stage are very glitzy -- there's a few that I wouldn't mind having!" The burden of proof Here are a few tips to keep your handbag from being a burden on your back. -Grab the bathroom scales and weigh your handbag both with the contents and without. You might be amazed by how much the actual bag weighs without anything in it! -Think through the day ahead and pack your handbag accordingly.

There's no need to cart around sunglasses and woollen hats if the season has changed and you just haven't updated your bag. - Pack a smaller make-up bag with a few of the essentials. You'll only have to touch up your make-up during the day so leave the foundation and brushes at home. -De-clutter your purse of small change -- clear it out every so often or else try to actually use up your change in shops. Irish people are the biggest hoarders of one and two cent coins in the eurozone but that doesn't mean you have follow that particular trend! Organised Elena Healy (24) is a marketing executive with Harmonia publishers Handbag contents Filofax Wallet Keys Pair of gloves Make-up Sunglasses Mobile phone When it comes to her essential handbag, Elena has the contents required fairly well pared down by now. "I probably have about five day bags and I'll alternate them depending on what I'm wearing," she says. "If I use the biggest bag, I'll tend to pop in a magazine to read and a notebook for work. Some days, I'll bring along my iPod and camera as well. "I usually use the same bag for two or three days running but then I'll dump the contents out onto my bed and only re-pack the things that I absolutely need." "I tend to wear quite big bags but that doesn't mean that I have to fill them up to the brim." "I try to just bring things that I know I'll need. Having said that, I'm sure I still carry stuff that I probably don't use all the time." Elena drives to work most days, which means that she can carry things like shoes inside her car. "If I was running around town one day, I'd probably need to bring more things in my bag.If I'm going shopping, I usually bring a light enough bag so I can put things in it." Laura Duff (41) is a mum-of-two and runs a designer maternity swap shop, www.momsoon.ie. Handbag contents Mobile phone Wallet Perfume (handbag size) Lip balm Nail file Notebook and pen Calculator Receipts Laura works from home a lot of the time and she adds items into her bag if she needs them for an upcoming meeting or appointment. "I tend to swap bags around depending on what I'm wearing," she says. "I usually move the same stuff from one bag to another. For some strange reason, I have a calculator in my bag at the moment but I wouldn't usually have that! I prefer the look of bigger bags but I don't carry that much in them. One reason is that I can't stand not being able to find my mobile phone when it's ringing in my bag." Laura says she's into handbags but doesn't spend a huge amount on them. "I prefer to buy a few nice bags for the price of one expensive bag. There are lots of lovely bags available on the high street. I like to change my handbags around a lot so I'd prefer to buy a few rather than spend all my money on one.I think that being on a waiting list for a handbag is the saddest thing ever." When her two kids -- now aged four and eight -- were younger, Laura's bag did end up becoming a hold-all for baby-related paraphernalia. "I didn't have a separate bag for baby stuff and because I like bigger bags, there was room for baby wipes and soothers.There's a bit more room in it now that they've gotten older and don't need those things any more."

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The contents of our handbag on any given day have to measure up to 5lbs for sure, here take a look wallet keys shoes book ipod blotting papers mirror lip gloss cell phone gloves and hat notepad pen If you are looking to lighten the load, than here are a couple of designer handbags that are small enough to prevent you from putting too much stress on your shoulders and back but roomy enough to let you carry all the 'essentials':

CHANEL designer handbag pink caviar small tote bag. This is one of Chanel's classic designs carried by celebrities and fashionistas world wide. Although it's named a small tote bag, it really is a perfect size tote for everyday and can easily transition into evening attire. The Chanel small tote bag measures about 9.5 x 9.5 x 3.5 inches with double leather and leather-woven chain straps measuring about 22 inches each with 9.5 inch drop. Guaranteed authentic and comes with a sleeper bag for storage. Shop this authentic Chanel handbag at 22% off now.

CHLOE designer handbags runway collection brown patent leather shoulder bag. Chloe shoulder bag in a rich deep dark brown patent leather with contrasting green cotton canvas exposed zippers and gray with tan napa leather accents. Chloe bag measures about 12 x 13 x 6 inches. The longer of the two leather straps measures 28 inches long with a 9 inch drop. The shorter strap which can hang creatively on the backside of the bag measures about 24 inches long. Comes with authenticity details. Guaranteed authentic. Sleeper bag included. Shop this authentic CHLOE handbag at 30% off now.