Traveling? Do it As Painless as Possible

As we approach the halfway point of summer vacation season, my recent family trip to St. Pete Beach, FL serves as a reminder that traveling, whether for fun or for business, can put a lot of stress on the body.  We have all been there before...the plane lands or you make a stop for gas and a bathroom break, you go to stand up and you feel stiff and sore.  Also, by the time you get your final destination, all you want to do is grab something to eat and go to bed because you are so tired from sitting for so long.  Well, there are some thing you can do that can help lessen the stiffness and achiness of traveling (but you may still be tired depending on how the trip went and the time of travel).

Dr. Scott Bautch is a former president of the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) Council on Occupational Health and recommneds that you treat any travel as if it were an athletic event.  Doing a brief warm up before and a cool down after can help decrease the degree of stiffness and achiness that can occur.  It also recommneded that yoru drink plenty of water afterwards as dehydration can also become a factor.  Dr. Bautch also gives the following tips that are summed up from an ACA Patient Information sheet on travel.


Traveling by Airplane

• Use rolled-up pillows or blankets to help maintain the natural curve of the spine when you sit in your seat.  One should be tucked behind your back just above the belt and the other between the neck and headrest.  If needed, folded blankets can be used to level out the part of the seat that you sit on...some of the seats may be worn a bit and the blankets will help level out your pelvis and hips when you sit.  I know this may be difficult on some flights where there is not much room to breath, let alone move, so I suggest doing the best you can to fit the individual situation.
• Check all bags that weigh more than 5-10% of your body weight.  This one is a bit trickier now with all the baggage fees but most bags that are too big to fit in the overhead bins or under the seat will have to be checked anyway.  If you can make your carry on weigh more than 30-40 pounds, then more power to you, but just be careful how you lift it up into the overhead bin.  With any carry-on luggage going into the overhead bin, make sure you are facing the bin, keeping your back straight with no rotation of the spine, head, or neck as you lift the bag into the bin.
• When stowing items under the seat, sit in the seat first, then use your hands and/or feet to gently guide the bag under the seat.  The other option, standing up and trying to shove the bag under the seat with your leg in a side sweeping motion or kicking motion, can cause muscle strain and spasms in the low back and upper thighs.
• Since you are typically sitting for a long period of time, shift your position every now and then to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps.  The key here is to keep the blood circulating in the body, especially the lower legs since the calves are a common place to develop a Deep Vein Thrombosis in those who are at high risk for them.
• Adjust the air controls so that they are not blowing right on you.  The direct flow of air can increase tension in the neck and shoulder muscles.

Traveling By Car
We are all familiar with taking rest breaks every few hours and changing your focal point to reduce eye fatigue and tension headaches.  I also think that we are good at shifting every now and then to help with circulation and discomfort, especially in the legs, shoulders, and neck.  Here are a few others:

• Adjust the seat so that you knees are slightly higher than your hips and you are as close to the steering wheel as comfortably possible.  When you place four fingers behind the back of the thigh closest to the knee, you should be able to remove them easily.  If you can't, re-adjust the seat.
• Use a back support for your low back to reduce strain and pain.  Some cars come with adjustable lumbar support in the driver's seat, but you may or may not need extra support.
• Alternate hand positions on the steering wheel from 3 and 7 o'clock to 10 and 5 o'clock to reduce hand and arm tension.  Also, periodically loosen and tighten your grip on the steering wheel to keep circulation going in your hands to reduce muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists, and hands.  A constant kung-fu grip is not good or comfortable.

All these recommendations along with getting adjusted before and after your trip can keep you traveling in as much comfort as possible for many years to come.