Dr. Maya Pande
A Strange Cause of Low Back Pain

There are lots of things that cause or contribute to low back pain.
Your wallet is one of the strangest! How does it do it? Two things: Its thickness and its location.
Sitting down with a thick wallet in your back pocket, at work or in the car, lifts your pelvis and low back on that side, which throws everything off balance. This causes your muscles to go into spasm which results in pain in your low back, pelvis and hips or even sciatica!
Here are some tips to stop this from happening:
Declutter your wallet. File your receipts daily and remove the items/cards that you don't use frequently. Cash, a couple of frequently used cards, a family photo and my business card are all you need to carry! Better yet, put my office number in your cell phone and you won't need the card either! (519-476-8700)
Move your wallet. Keep your wallet in your front pocket. Or keep it in your desk drawer or beside you in the car when you're sitting down. Even a thin wallet can cause an imbalance.
Consider a money clip or other alternative: Money clips can be an efficient, discreet and slimmer option for carrying money, credit cards and identification.
If you've been sitting on your wallet for a long time, your body has gotten used to this posture (have you heard of muscle memory?) and just changing this habit won't be enough to relieve the pain you're in. Chiropractic might be needed to help resolve this problem. Call us for a solution.