Road Trip Tips for Preventing Back Pain

Are you having problems with back pain during several hours of road trip? Whether you are traveling for a vacation trip, or work, you will most likely get a back pain if you spend long hours in sitting.

Back pain affects your lumbar and cervical spine; two internal parts of the body that are vulnerable to arthritis, back injuries, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc diseases. People who spend long hours of sitting without taking breaks are expected to acquire muscle-stiffness with spasms that shorten hip flexors. This is bad. You will have a difficulty in lifting your knees, and bending your waists if you have this condition. Doctors asserts that sitting close to the wheel causes poor cervical and lumbar posture, resulting in some problems of the neck and legs.

7 Tips to Prevent Road Trip Back Pain

#1 Prepare your body before the trip.

If you are someone who often gets back pain, you should do some preparations like getting a lumber back support, or a pillow. https://www.my-reha.com/wellness-gesundheit/gesundes-sitzen:::6_93.html ergonomic cushion chair is also advised for a dynamic sitting. Prior to leaving, make some stretches to prepare your muscles beforehand. Some cars have adjustable lumbar support so you may also prepare that.

#2 Lift things appropriately.

Packing and loading are both common activities in road trip, especially during vacations. As you come to this point of your journey, take caution about carrying things. In lifting your baggage, use your feet and not your back. Try not to bend over when moving packs of stuff. If you think it is too heavy for you to carry, ask someone stronger to do the work for you.

#3 Sit with proper posture.

Sitting posture is often neglected by drivers and passengers, but failing to have it always result to back pain. Always position your seat upright with your legs extended in the most comfortable manner. By then, your heads and shoulders are both neutral.

#4 Avoid staying in one position.

Back pain is often obtained by staying put in a single position. Move often during your travel. Change your position to exercise your abdominal muscles and prevent stiffness. Some drivers use cruise-control just to relax their backs. You may also do that for as long as you are in a less crowded roadway.

#5 Give your muscles a break.

Funny but true that you often stop by because women need to go to the toilet. And women as they are, they seem to do their makeovers forever. Nevertheless, this is also a good opportunity for you to relax. Stretch your hamstrings and quads, including your knees and hips since they are flexed for hours.

#6 Have a driving shift.

If you are a driver, you shouldn't drive for too long because you might encounter some pain and might meet accidents. Change position with another passenger and give time to relax your body. If you don't have anyone capable of driving, stop by and rest for a while.

#7 Make stop when back pain suddenly occurs.

There are instances where back pain suddenly attacks. It is when you least expect to. What you need to do is STOP the car. Check into nearby hotels if there is any, and apply an ice on your back area and place a pillow on your knees. If this doesn't help, you should call a physician immediately.

Going on a road trip is indeed fun, but to avoid meeting unfortunate circumstances, particularly back pain, you should do these tips.