Avoid Back Pain Whilst Travelling

When it comes to travelling, whether it involves a fun break away or a commute to work, keeping your back feeling great is essential for an amazing holiday or a productive day at your job. Travelling for a long time can cause muscles and joints to become stiff and achey, so what’s the best way to avoid this?

“Travelling for a long time can cause muscles and joints to become stiff and achey”

I’m sure it’s no surprise that good posture is key. Having said that, there is one posture that’s worse than all the others – the one you spend most of your time in. Therefore, frequent movement is key. Regular breaks and getting the body moving keeps your joints well-oiled and increases blood flow to the soft tissue. This results in you arriving at your destination feeling comfortable. 

Travelling by Train or Plane 

Moving when on a train or plane can be as simple as walking up and down the aisle a few times every hour or so. You could even get your blood flowing more by doing exercises like squats where you have space. During your journey, good posture is also crucial. When sitting, sit evenly on both sitting bones with both your feet on the ground. That means NO crossing your legs! Keeping your hips higher than your knees keeps the natural curve in your low back. 

“Take regular breaks to stretch and move every joint in your body in every direction that it is designed to move”

When it comes to entertaining yourself throughout the journey it can be very tempting to slouch forward, whether that’s getting lost in a great book, sending emails or scrolling on social media. Keep your head on top of your shoulders and avoid it stooping forward. 

We advise that you take regular breaks to stretch and move every joint in your body in every direction that it is designed to move. For example, a slow circle with your head or rolling your shoulder 15 times backwards and 10 times forward. As mentioned above, simple exercises like squats are great at pumping the blood around your body and out of your legs.

Travelling by Car

When driving, stopping every hour may not be feasible, however a good seat set up is vital. We recommend adjusting the seat so that you are in a comfortable upright position with your head fully supported by the head rest. The seat should be high enough so that your eyes are at least three inches above the steering wheel. Adjust your mirrors to a position where you can be aware if you begin to slouch. 

Travelling Tips

When standing, whether it’s waiting at the bus station, train station or airport, make sure you are standing with your feet hip distance apart and your weight evenly distributed through both feet.  

Fashion isn’t always the most practical approach when it comes to choosing a suitable bag for travel. If you’re looking for an everyday travel bag for work or short trips away, pick a backpack with two straps. This will distribute the weight evenly and help prevent back and shoulder pain from carrying weight on one side every day. Make sure the straps are adjustable so you can customise the fit to your body size and look for a backpack with padded shoulder straps. This will help make the backpack more comfortable to wear and will relieve pressure on shoulders. 

When it comes to suitcases on wheels, make sure you swap sides for carrying or pulling as it keeps your body balanced. A balanced body is a happy body. 

To further optimise your travel and keep your body balanced, make sure you come along to your local chiropractor and get adjusted. Chiropractic adjustment ensures the best start to your holiday or work week and relieves any unnecessary aches or pains. And as always, remember to enjoy the moment and have fun! 

Book a consultation at Kasa Chiropractic today!

If you’re concerned or can already feel the effects of years of travelling,then book a Chiropractic consultation by clicking here, or learn more about our Chiropractic services. We look forward to seeing you in our Clifton clinic soon!