Prevent Back Pain Caused By Traveling With Chiropractic Care (And Other Helpful Tips)

If you find yourself dealing with back and joint pain in a regular basis, whether it's due to an old strain or a pain-related condition such as arthritis, it's bad enough that the pain and discomfort has such a negative impact on your everyday life. More often than not, traveling can make your symptoms and discomfort even worse. Of course, getting on a plane is incredibly uncomfortable for anyone dealing with chronic pain, but even something as seemingly simple as a long car ride can really take a toll on your physical comfort as well.

It is unfortunate that traveling is supposed to be fun and exciting, yet is often associated with aches and stiffness for so many people who suffer from back and joint pain. The good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent pain from occurring during your next trip or vacation. I learned about some very helpful tips from a post on this very topic that was written by the American Chiropractic Association, and I'm happy to share what I learned here with you.

One point the article made that I found interesting was that it may be best to think about traveling as a sort of athletic event, and one of the best things a person of any health status can do before any athletic endeavour is to warm up and stretch. Before you enter a cab or car, or get on an airplane, take a short brisk walk if you can; otherwise, taking a few minutes to do some simple stretches is enough to loosen up your joints. Now for some more specific tips.

If you are driving a car, make sure that you are as close to the steering wheel as possible, and that your knees are slightly higher than your hips. This will prevent strain on your joints. Be sure to take frequent breaks at rest stops where you can get out and stretch your legs and arms.

When boarding an airplane, make sure your bring a small pillow or cushion with you for lumbar support. If you can, use yourcarry-on bag to rest your legs on once you are seated and in the air. 

You may also find added benefit from visiting a doctor of chiropractic both before and after a trip. The chiropractor will be able to use manual manipulation techniques that aim to restore mobility and flexibility to the joints of the body, allowing you to remain comfortable throughout your trip.

Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Trip & Travel Blog