Shrink That Suitcase!

Whe

ther or not you're a frequent flyer, chances are pretty good you'll be traveling this holiday season to spend a few days with family and friends. If you can resist the temptation to bring along heavy, oversize suitcases or bulky packages, however, there's an even better chance you'll start the new year without having to nurse an injured back, neck or shoulder.

Americans made more than 50,000 trips to a hospital or doctor's office for a luggage-related mishap in 2003. This year, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, whose members see a lot of travelers on their examining tables, has for the first time issued guidelines for safely toting all that baggage. Among the tips:

DON'T TWIST It's amazing the contortions some people will go through to retrieve luggage from the overhead bin on an airplane. Rotating your spine while putting extra pressure on it can lead to muscle or ligament strain if you're lucky — and a herniated disk if you're not. Point your toes in the direction in which your hands are moving, say the experts. Then, when you have lowered your bag, you can turn your whole body to head down the aisle.

PACK LIGHT This should be obvious, but even a cursory glance at a baggage-claim carousel shows you how often it isn't. When was the last time you wore everything you put in your suitcase?

ROLL YOUR OWN Choose suitcases with wheels and several handles. You'll still have to carry your luggage from time to time, but wheels will lighten the load, and having several handles will make bags easier to grasp.

USE YOUR KNEES Stand alongside your suitcase and bend your knees when lifting it. Using your leg muscles will help spare those in your back.

SPREAD THE WEIGHT A couple of smaller bags allow you to distribute the load more evenly than one big one. If you're wearing a backpack, don't sling it over just one shoulder. If you really must carry a duffel bag, switch shoulders early and often.

Finally, it never hurts to build up your muscles a bit. "We're overweight and out of shape," says Dr. Robert Bucholz, president of the surgeons' group and chairman of orthopedic surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. "Anything you can do to increase your conditioning will decrease the risk of injury." Good advice, even if you aren't planning to get away this winter.