Traveling can be bad for your back and neck
health -- but it doesn't have to be. Back pain is not trivial. It is the most
common type of pain Americans experience, according to the National Institute
of Health Statistics survey. It is also the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45
years old. Unfortunately, some of the best opportunities to hurt your back and
neck actually happen on vacation -- while you're in the car, on the plane, or
sleeping on a bad hotel bed.
Here are tips to keep your spine healthy when
traveling by car.
Sit right.
Adjusting your car seat helps you avoid
stiffness, strains, and soreness after a long drive. Put your seat back in the
upright position (not at 90 degrees but more like 105 degrees), not
leaning back so you look out the backseat window. Move the whole seat forward
and tilt it so your feet are flat on the floor and knees are elevated slightly
higher than your hips.
Look in the mirror.
A great way to make sure you are sitting upright
and not slouching is to adjust the rearview mirror in the morning. When we wake
up, we are at our tallest because our spine is fully hydrated. We also aren't
pooped from work and hunched forward. Then don't touch the mirror again. Adjust
your posture to meet the mirror -- not the other way around.
Protect your neck.
The American Chiropractic Association estimated
that more than 75 percent of drivers have their headrest at an inappropriate
height. Reduce your chances of whiplash by raising the headrest so the middle
of it meets the back of your head.
Grab the wheel.
Most of us are taught to drive with our hands at
the 10 and 2 o'clock position. That's correct, as long as you drop your elbows
so your arms and shoulders can relax. Alternatively, lower your steering wheel,
grab the wheel at the 8 and 4 o'clock position, and use the armrest, if you
have one, or rest your arms on your legs.
Stretch your neck.
At stoplights or rest stops, do neck exercises.
Do side-to-side head turns, and gently tip your ear to the shoulder of the same
side, then repeat on the other side.
Start out slowly.
When our backs are idle for 20 minutes or so,
fluids creep back into the disc. As fluids enlarge the disc, it becomes more
vulnerable. So when you arrive at your destination after a long drive, don't
jump out of the car and go to pick up the grandkids. Take a few minutes to just
do some gentle stretches, maybe at the gas station before you arrive, and
reduce the fluid buildup in your disc area and warm up your muscles.
Photo courtesy of www.visualphotos.com
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