Back pains can cause a lot of discomforts whether you are traveling or just relaxing at home. If you are often on the road, these pains can be worse due to prolonged sitting and bumping while driving. Sitting places more pressure on your spine despite the notion that it is a resting position than when you are standing. Anne from the familiar website Free your Spine recommends that you never sit for more than an hour continuously since it is among the leading cause of back pains and disability. If you want to alleviate back pains during your road trips, here is what you must do.
Get Comfortable Before the Journey
As a rule of thumbs, never begin a journey when you are not well rested and feeling comfortable. Make sure you are in the right attire. Loosely fitting clothes are ideal than tight-fitting attire if you are planning to drive for a long distance. Do not have your wallet or phone or anything else for that matter in your back pocket as those objects may misalign your spine. Makes sure the car seat is comfortable and is adjusted to your liking. Have the steering wheel closer to you but not too close to ensure that you do not strain to try to reach for it. Your backrest should be comfortable and should have you sited straight with just a slight incline. If the backrest is not completely aligned with your back, you may consider adding a pillow or a cushion to add the extra support.
Source:ppsphysiotherapy.com.au
Check Out Your Car’s Condition
Road trips are unpredictable. You will during the course of your journey find your self in both rough and smooth terrain. It is the rough terrain that can really have a toll on you especially if your car is not in the right condition for such terrain. Before you commence on your journey, check the condition of your tires, the car suspension system and any other functionality that can make your journey smooth. Worn out tires and shocks are especially unsuitable for rough terrains. It is your body that will end up absorbing the shocks and pressure from the bumps. Ensure that you check on this otherwise, you will end up with severe back pains.
Plan Your Journey
Do not just wake up, get into your car and be on your way. It pays to plan ahead of your journey. Start your journey early so as to cater for the frequent stops that you will need to stretch and rest. Try and stop after every 45 to 60 minutes of continuous driving and stretch out your body. You can take rests of up to 15 minutes if you have enough time to prevent the back pains. Sitting in a car for a long time stiffens your spine which is naturally designed to stay upright and move around. The stretching enables proper circulation of blood and oxygen in your body hence alleviating any form of muscle spasms or pains.
Carry an Ice Pack
If you normally experience back pains when driving, you may consider carrying along with you an ice pack just in case. Back pains will always be accompanied by muscle soreness. An ice pack will come in handy when you experience such as you will simply apply on your back as well as other sore muscles to numb the inflamed tissues and muscles. Remember to carry along a protective barrier like a towel to avoid burning your skin with the ice.
Source:triumph-therapy.com
Use Your Feet to Support Your Back
When driving, try and have your feet be a little bit higher so that they can raise your knees just a little bit above your waist to alleviate pressure from your lower back. If you can’t raise the knees, then at least try and have them at a right angle to avoid exerting pressure on your back. You may want to let go of your gas pedal sometimes when cruising and just rest your feet on the floor.
Always remember that your health is far more important than that business meeting you are rushing to, or the package you are going to deliver. Do not hurt yourself trying to reach unreasonable deadlines. Listen to your body and know when to stop and catch some breath while you rest. It is better to arrive whole than to arrive and get bedridden.
