Road Trip Tips
TRAVELING IS NOT FOR SISSIES
Traveling can take a toll on a body. Crowded airports and planes or long hours in a car can leave you stiff, sore, and sleepy. Even if you’re flying in first class or driving in a new Caddy, sitting for long (and sometimes stressful) periods can challenge your muscles, joints and even blood flow.
Since traveling can sometimes feel like a contact sport, let’s get ready to rumble! As in sports there should be ‘warm up’ before and ‘cool down’ after the event. If your flight makes multiple stops or if your drive is long, take breaks to get some motion back into your muscles and joints.
Below are some tips to keep you moving as you travel.
- Adjust your seat so that the front of the seat is not pressing into the back of your knees, which can diminish blood flow to your legs. Tilting the front of your seat down about 15 degrees can help.
- Support your low back by adjusting your fancy seat or using a cushion. Position the support between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your pelvis.
- Contract and relax your gluteal, thigh and calf muscles will help diminish swelling, improve blood flow and keep the muscles more relaxed. Safely using your car’s cruise control will allow a little more mobility down there.
- Roll your shoulders forward and back. Tilt and turn your head side to side, right to left to keep your neck relaxed.
- Tighten the grip on your steering wheel or ‘drum your fingers’ to keep the forearm muscles relaxed.
- We don’t often think about it but there are muscles in our eyes! Focus close, focus far to help reduce eye fatigue and fend off headaches.
- Most importantly, never underestimate the danger of fatigue to you, your passengers and others on the road. Taking a few minutes’ rest stop (maybe a quick stroll around the car or to the restroom) can do wonders to improve alertness and help you get to your destination more relaxed and ready to enjoy what to come.
JUST IN CASE
Even with the best preventive measures, pain and injury can happen. If you experience symptoms beyond simple sore and tight muscles, contact Hall Chiropractic. Dr. Hall is uniquely trained to treat common maladies such as neck and low back pain. He is an expert at both automobile and sports injury prevention and rehabilitation.
For more information about Hall Chiropractic visit our website at www.fortmill-chiropractor.com, call or text Hall Chiropractic at 803.412.2240 today for your FREE Health Consultation.
https://handsdownbetter.org/prevent-aches-pains-on-your-next-road-trip/
