Prevent Back Pain While Traveling

Traveling can be very hard on your body whether it be in a car, plain, or train.  These simple tips can help avoid muscle and joint aches and pains and reduce back pain and headaches.  Treat any form of travel as an athletic event and make sure you are loose and warmed up.  Avoid waking at the last minute and rushing out the door.  Allow yourself enough time to properly wake up and get stretched out before climbing into your car in the morning.  While in the car make sure to adjust the car seat so that you are close to the steering wheel and your knees are just slightly higher than your hips.  Consider using a back support to reduce strain on the low back and do not grip the steering wheel too tight.  Minimize tension on your arms and legs by alternating where you hold the wheel from the 3 and 7 o’clock positions to the 10 and 5 o’clock positions periodically.  Keep your legs loose by exercising them on long trips.  This will reduce cramping and strain on the low back and legs.  Do this by tightening your toes, then calves, then hamstrings, then the buttock muscles followed by rest.  Roll your shoulders forward and backward to keep the shoulders loose.  When possible, break the trip up with rest or bathroom breaks to reduce your time in the seated position.  Dr Collin Dolan of Dolan Family Chiropractic is a trained professional in the prevention and treatment of low back pain.  For more information call the office at 630-236-3090 or visit the website at www.Dolanchiro.com.