Handbags are our best friend but are they bad for our health, Louise Jew asks the Lou’s Women panel.

They’re our best friend – they go everywhere with us and we couldn’t do without them for even a day.

You can have your say – join in the debate using the comment form below.

But handbags can be bad for our health, we have been warned by physiotherapists and chiropractors, who say they can cause untold damage to our joints and posture.

My own bag – whether at work or play – reaches truly gigantic proportions, weighing as much as a stone or more.

And the bigger the bag, the more I put in it – just like when packing a suitcase, I tend to travel heavy.

Besides the essential purse, perfume, make-up (obviously with a choice of several colour lipsticks), hairbrush, mobile phone, charger, notebook, diary, pens and tissues, if I’ve got room I’ll cram in a spare pair of tights – just in case the ones I have on sprout a ladder – and possibly a bottle of water if it’s a hot day.

Every now and then one of the pens does an exploding act and my hand comes out of the bag covered in black ink, along with everything else inside getting spattered.

From time to time, I’ll do a clear-out – and find all kinds of gunge, like months worth of receipts, lottery tickets, mints that have slipped out of the packet and loose change.

As to the health effects – well, at my age, I’m prone to more aches and pains and wonder how many of them may be due to having lugged around the equivalent of a small dog on one shoulder for more than four decades.

Lou’s Woman Lou Thomas has been told the reason why her posture is permanently tilted to the right is the result of carrying a heavy bag on that shoulder for years.

But, whenever I think I might scale down the contents of my bag, I struggle to decide what I could do without.

It is all so essential!

Read the mixed bag of comments on this week’s topic from Lou’s Women below.

Gail Millard

Gail Millard, our new Lou’s Woman from Bilston, says: “When I start from home for work, I’ve got my sandwiches, book, mp3 player, phone charger , umbrella, phone memory stick and computer memory stick, a shrill alarm, tape measure, hand cream, foot cream and lots of bottles of nail varnish.

“Then, on the way to work I pick up the paper for the tram or bus and a magazine, maybe tea bags and whoopsies from the Co-op in Queen Square (sausage rolls, crumpets, yoghurts, packs of fruits).

“Sorry, whoopsies are out of date stock and may I add that these are shared by colleagues and not wholly consumed by moi!

“Oh, and I forgot, spare pair of shoes. My best bag is a Marc B one bought for me as a surprise from Jeff, my hubby, who can’t see what I see in handbags and doesn’t understand what they mean to me. It’s a girl thing.”

Jean Martyn

Britain’s Got Talent organ-playing star Jean Martyn says: “Womens handbags – yes mine is one of the heaviest, as it is a mobile office, beauty case, hair accessories ie hairbrush, hairspray, a phone for communication, sunglasses, perfume, pens, notepad, tissues, and anti bacterial handwash.

“I did have an embarrasing moment once when my handbag flew open, and the contents spilled into the road, all over the zebra crossing.

“As I bent down to retrieve the contents of my bag, my friend said “Goodness you’re not trying to get a tune out of that now are you!”

Lou Thomas

Zumba teacher and PR consultant Lou Thomas says: “The bigger the bag, the more I put in it and the really big ones are a nightmare because I rummage around and can’t find anything.

“I had a really embarrassing moment once when I was in a meeting with important clients – trying to be extremely professional and businesslike – and pulled a tampon out of my bag to make notes with.

“My posture is permanently tiled to the right and this, I am told by physios, is the result of carrying a heavy bag on my right shoulder for years.”

Julie Wilson

Our chess supremo Julie Wilson says: “My handbag tends to be heavy and I’ve never managed to figure out exactly what makes it that way. I guess it’s just the accumulation of ‘stuff’.

“I do tend to wear my handbag over my left shoulder and my shoulder tends to ache but I’ve never thought it could be my handbag causing it.

“Now you’ve made me think though!”

Sheena Hamilton

Conservationist Sheena Hamilton says: “I’m the biggest culprit – I carry two purses, one with cards and notes in and the other with change, and, because of my lifestyle, screwdrivers, nails and all sorts.

“I’ve even had someone say, ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got a spanner on you…?’ and I’ve produced one.

“I’m aware of the problems it can cause and practise the Alexander technique for my posture.”

Holly Dodd

Student Holly Dodd says: “Today my essential handbag items include an umbrella, diary, mints, chewing gum, hand mirror, tissues, hand wipes, wallet, hand sanitiser, perfume, lip balm, pens & pencils, hand cream , water bottle, throat sweets, sun glasses, hair brush and an array of lipsticks to suit every occasion.

“I have nothing to hide either – security officers and airport staff search at leisure!

“You have before you my security blanket, my professional kit and a reticule Mary Poppins herself would be proud of!

“And I can fully believe that some women suffer shoulder and back pain as a result, having experienced it myself despite my arm candy (surprisingly) weighing in at a paltry six pounds!

“I often find myself shifting the load from one arm to another in order to relieve my aching muscles and the strap lines developing along my arm……heaven forbid I should lighten the load though!”

Stacey Senior

Stacey Senior, Willenhall Carnival Queen, says: “My handbag carries only the essentials – keys, pen, phone, lip balm, hand cream, tissues and a purse.

“I’m certainly not a hoarder of receipts and unposted letters!

“My work bag is heavier with notepads and bottles of water as I’m often out and about!”

Alice Durant

Eighteen-year-old student Alice Durant says: “I can’t leave the house without my handbag full of all my junk!

“It’s filled with all my make-up, a hairbrush, my phone and my purse amongst other things such as old receipts, pens and coppers that just seem to appear there!

“I’ve had a few aches and pains from this, but its always better to be prepared!”

Chris Armstrong

Llama Lady Chris Armstrong says: “I am not a bag person so I have one bag & never change it until it dies! But it is full of VERY IMPORTANT stuff.

“I like a bag that has lots of compartments and zips so that I can find things, everything has a place.

“I carry my passport and driving licence with me, my e-reader (in case I’m stuck anywhere and bored), iPhone.

“Never carry make-up as I apply it in the morning and it stays all day.

“I can’t be doing with people who look at themselves all of the time in compacts and are constantly touching up their make-up!

“Tissues, purse, cards, money, cheque book, spare glasses, plasters, coin holder. Nothing of any interest in my bag.”