STAY PAIN FREE DURING SUMMER TRAVEL

 

School is out for the summer and temperatures are rising. As you start to plan your summer getaway, whether it is a weekend in the country or a romantic European vacation, take some simple measures to reduce any undue stress that traveling might add to your body.

If you suffer from chronic pain, whether it is your low back, hip, knee, neck, or shoulder, it could be exacerbated by the long periods of sitting that travel often requires. In addition, travel often involves lifting heavy loads as well as changing our patterns of eating, drinking, and sleeping. It also disrupts the healthy habits that keep us out of pain and in balance.

So, if you are packing up and heading out for an exciting adventure, take these simple measures to keep yourself pain free while traveling….

  • Pack lightly…

An easy way to injure your lower back is by lifting heavy loads. There are two ways to protect yourself from this as you travel. A simple solution is to pack less! If you do have to lift a heavy load, use proper form.

  • Lift luggage carefully…

If you lift heavy luggage, protect yourself with optimal stability.

  1. Keep your hips and shoulders square; do not rotate or twist your spine as you pick up the suitcase. This is how injuries occur!
  2. Bend from the knees and hips, not your back. Keep your back flat; do not round your back as that strains the discs.
  3. Avoid putting anything heavy in overhead bins on the airplane. Lifting heavy objects overhead puts you at unnecessary risk to strain your lumbar back. If your suitcase is heavy, do yourself a favor and check it.
  • Sit smartly…

Protect yourself by sitting well on the plane or in the car.

  1. Use a lumbar support! This is an easy way to protect your low back and spine. A BFM round inflatable pillow is an ideal travel companion! Place your pillow, a rolled up towel or sweater, or lumbar support behind your navel, just above your pelvis. This will support the natural arch of your lower back.
  2. Keep your knees in line with your hips! Sit with your knees and hips in line. Do not allow your knees to drift open, as that will force the top of your thighs to jam into your low back. Point your feet straight ahead, with your knees over your toes and your knees aligned with your hip sockets.
  3. Avoid rounding your shoulders! Put simply, don’t slouch. Rounded shoulders lead to neck pain, decreased breathing, disrupted digestion, lower back pain, and a host of other alignment issues, so use the lumbar support to balance your head and shoulders.
  • Hydrate and Nourish Your Body….

When you travel, it is easy to get into bad habits with readily available junk foods and not enough water on hand. If you don’t prepare, both mentally and logistically, you will find yourself tired, thirsty, and reaching for a Snickers or a Twinkie and a soda at a rest stop.

Plan. Pack healthy snacks. You know that airports and rest stops are full of salty, sugary, and fatty foods. These foods are inflammatory and will exacerbate your pain. To avoid getting caught in that trap, bring your own snacks. (It is also much less expensive!) Pack foods that are not only healthy but also delicious so that you are not tempted to stray off course!

Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water. First, drink as much as possible the day before you travel. Then on your trip, sip water slowly throughout your journey to help you maintain proper levels of hydration while not having to visit the restroom too often!

  • Move As Much As Possible!

Nothing is more important than getting up and stretching every 30 minutes or so. If you are driving and can’t stop that often, then when you do stop, spend a few minutes walking around and doing some simple stretches to lengthen the muscles that have been shortened by sitting.

Here are a few exercises to lengthen you out after you have been sitting in a car or airplane seat for too long!

  1. Overhead Arms with Twist
  2. Stationary Lunge
  3. Standing Quad Stretch
  4. Standing Hamstring Stretch (can do in the airplane bathroom!)
  5. Seated Bounce Ups

This sequence will lengthen the muscles that get the tightest from sitting. Use it at a rest stop or standing in the airplane aisle. Seated Bounce Ups can be done sitting at any time. They will keep your butt muscles active during long flights or road trips. When you arrive at your destination, wake up your body with movement. Skip the escalator to the baggage claim; take the stairs, instead.

For a more detailed travel menu, if you have questions, or if you would like to schedule a session, email me at anita@bodyfixmethod.com.

Safe travels my friends!

Anita