Holiday Travels? How to Keep Your Spine Healthy
By Randi Morse
When the weather starts to cool down, the first thing I think of is the holidays. Like most people, I absolutely love the holiday season. I love visiting with friends and family and reminiscing about the past. While traveling can be fun, it can also be a great deal of stress on both your mind and your body Anytime you must go on a long trip, are sitting on a long flight, or are carrying your luggage around a great deal, you risk causing musculoskeletal conditions and lower back pain. Here are a few tips that will help to keep your back healthy no matter how much holiday traveling you have.
Sitting Properly
One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to holiday travel is not sitting properly. It can be extremely tempting to slouch in your chair, or rest against your traveling partner and sleep, but neither of these options is good for your spinal health. In order to sit properly you need to make sure that your feet can touch the ground and your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. if you happen to be short, like me, one way to make sure that your feet touch the ground is to use one of the cases you are traveling with as a footrest.
Back Support
The curve in the lower back is an extremely important place to protect. If you've ever sat in a brand-new car, you will recognize the lumbar support that is included with most vehicles. If you happen to be sitting in the back seat of a car, or if you're on an airline and the seats do not have the lower back support you need, simply roll up a small towel or pillow and fit it to the curve of your lower back. This will give you the support you need without having to travel with tons of extra accessories.
Make Sure You Move
It is never healthy to stay seated for a long amount of time, and this is especially true if you happen to be flying somewhere. Make sure that you get up and move every 30 minutes during the time you are traveling. If, for some reason, you can't get up and walk around, do some stretches in your seat to get the blood flowing and give the spine a little relief.
While no one likes a long layover, that can be a perfect time to work on your spine health. Use that time to walk around and stretch your body. These few little tips will help to keep your spine happy while making your holiday traveling more enjoyable!
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in West Lake Hills, Tex.