LONDONERS who travel to work by bus or Underground carrying books, laptops or even a change of shoes should stand up for themselves more, according to back experts. Heaving around so much clobber on our backs could be storing up health problems

By Linda Lewis

LONDONERS who travel to work by bus or Underground carrying books, laptops or even a change of shoes should stand up for themselves more, according to back experts.

Heaving around so much clobber on our backs and lugging heavy bags on and off buses and tubes could be storing up health problems for the future, according to a survey by the British Chiropractic Association.

The solution to avoid back pain is to stand more, it says. We don't need that seat on the train as most of our working day is sitting.

London commuters often run greater health risks as commuting is longer compared to other parts of the country.

One-in-three are currently suffering from back pain. The survey carried out for the Chiropractic Association, whose 1,700 members treat spine and joint problems without drugs, found 15 per cent carry a laptop every day, while 42 per cent haul heavy books and files.

A-quarter get to work uncomfortably, while 13 per cent are stressed out before the working day even begins.