How To Avoid Back Pain While Traveling This Holiday Season
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: During the holiday season, there is a good chance that you will be traveling either by land or air. By taking the correct steps, you can help to prevent or minimize your back pain. The goal is to arrive ready to have a good time and enjoy the people that mean the most to you.
If you need to drive a long way to reach your holiday destination, you know that spending hours behind the wheel will take a toll on your back muscles. To help avoid feeling achy and sore, practice good driving posture. Do this by applying the same principles that are used in workplace ergonomics. Adjust your seat and steering wheel so that your spine is in a neutral position, your hips are supported in the seat, your elbows have a slight natural bend, and your upper back is supported. In addition, stop every 2-3 hours so that you can stretch and move about. This will also help alleviate stress from driving in heavy traffic.
If your travels include flying, here are a few tips. Use luggage with wheels if possible. If checking luggage, place your heaviest items in your checked bags. If your carryon luggage has 1 strap, wear it across your body. If it has 2 straps, place them over both shoulders. If your flight is over an hour in length, get up and walk to the front or back of the plane to move your legs. Drink water and stay hydrated.
Finally, make an appointment at our Houston, TX office prior to your travels. We can make sure that any little spinal misalignment is corrected so that it does not get worse on your holiday. If all of your holiday cheer causes a problem while you are away, we can also fix it when you return.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
