Travel Pain-Free with These 6 Simple Steps
Traveling, one of the most popular
hobbies in the world is a multi-billion dollar industry. Allowing you to
experience new things and see the world, it is one of the most exhilarating
experiences. Traveling for office tours and vacations can sound pretty tempting
but people who travel frequently, know the discomfort and pain that comes with
it. traveling for long hours in an airplane, car, train, bus or motorbike, can
all leave you hurting and aching by the end of the trip. Sitting or riding for
long periods causes pain and stiffness in different areas of your body,
especially if you have any sort of pre-existing health conditions, this can
easily stop you from enjoying your trip. But this can all be avoided by
preparing beforehand and following a few simple tips during the trips.
Here are 6 simple tips to ensure that your travels are as stress-free and pain-free as possible!
1. Support Your Back
Sitting still in cramped spaces for long hours is a recipe for back pain, especially for those with pre-existing back conditions. Most automobile seats don't offer sufficient lower back support and your slumping posture does nothing to help. To avoid back pain, carry a lumbar support pillow to support your lower back and help your posture. In case you don't have a pillow, you can use a rolled up towel or jacket for some support too. Additionally, consciously ensure that your back is aligned against the back of your seat in a sitting position and avoid hunching or slouching to prevent extra stress on your spine. Another vital point to keep in mind to protect your back is to be careful while lifting your luggage or putting it on overhead luggageracks. Use proper body mechanics to lift the luggage and break it into different stages instead of lifting it all the way in one go. Use your leg muscles instead of your back muscles and avoid twisting the back while lifting
2. Take Frequent Breaks
Sitting or staying in one particular position for too long is bound to make you sore in a lot of places. The only way to avoid this is to take breaks every 1-2 hours and walk around a bit before going back to your seat. If you're driving or biking, stop every once in a while to walk around and fix the blood circulation in your limbs and back. If you're traveling on a bus, train or plane, get out of your seat and walk around the aisle for a while. Getting an aisle seat instead of the window seat can be completely worth it in long flights because it allows you to get out of your seat without having to bother the passenger next to you every time. Stretching while you're out of the seat can make a world of difference in releasing the tightness in your muscles from sitting in cramped places for long.
3. Protect Your Neck
Your neck is the next most vulnerable area after your lower back while traveling and sitting for prolonged hours. Trying to sleep while sitting upright ends with you leaning against a window or lowering your head for sleep, which causes a lot of strain and stiffness in your neck and those flat, foamy airline pillows don't offer any help. Carry an inflatable neck pillow for added support to your neck while resting or sleeping in a sitting position during travel and stretching your neck from time to time can make a huge difference. Try stretches like Upper Trapezius Stretch and Levator Scapulae Stretch to relieve a lot of strain from your neck while sitting in your seat.
4. Wear Comfortable Clothing and Shoes
When you're going to be stuck in cramped seats, tight restricting clothes or high heels should never be your outfit of choice when traveling for long hours. Even beyond the sitting, you have to stand in long lines while hauling around your luggage. Hence, whenever possible, choose comfortable clothes made of breathable material, like gym apparel, and shoes like sneakers that slip on and off easily and have no heel while traveling.
5. Stay Hydrated
It is very important to stay hydrated during long trips. Not only does that help diffuse the fatigue and jet lag and prevent sore/dry throat, dry eyes, and dehydration, but the more you drink fluids, the more frequently you'll need to use the washroom which will give you an excuse for getting out of your seat and get moving.
6. Carry Painkillers
Nobody forgets to carry snacks like dark chocolate, potato chips etc. on their trips, but people commonly forget to carry over the counter lower back pain relief products like seat cushions for those times when all the above tips fail. For people with back pain and pre-existing back conditions, long journeys can be very painful and the only solution is to resort to pain relief to get through the trip in peace. Hence, never forget to pack your pain relief medication while going on trips as they can be lifesavers. You can also try taking herbal supplements, there are many cheap supplements like turmeric, devil’s claw etc available in the market for reduced pain and inflammation.
Here are 6 simple tips to ensure that your travels are as stress-free and pain-free as possible!
1. Support Your Back
Sitting still in cramped spaces for long hours is a recipe for back pain, especially for those with pre-existing back conditions. Most automobile seats don't offer sufficient lower back support and your slumping posture does nothing to help. To avoid back pain, carry a lumbar support pillow to support your lower back and help your posture. In case you don't have a pillow, you can use a rolled up towel or jacket for some support too. Additionally, consciously ensure that your back is aligned against the back of your seat in a sitting position and avoid hunching or slouching to prevent extra stress on your spine. Another vital point to keep in mind to protect your back is to be careful while lifting your luggage or putting it on overhead luggageracks. Use proper body mechanics to lift the luggage and break it into different stages instead of lifting it all the way in one go. Use your leg muscles instead of your back muscles and avoid twisting the back while lifting
2. Take Frequent Breaks
Sitting or staying in one particular position for too long is bound to make you sore in a lot of places. The only way to avoid this is to take breaks every 1-2 hours and walk around a bit before going back to your seat. If you're driving or biking, stop every once in a while to walk around and fix the blood circulation in your limbs and back. If you're traveling on a bus, train or plane, get out of your seat and walk around the aisle for a while. Getting an aisle seat instead of the window seat can be completely worth it in long flights because it allows you to get out of your seat without having to bother the passenger next to you every time. Stretching while you're out of the seat can make a world of difference in releasing the tightness in your muscles from sitting in cramped places for long.
3. Protect Your Neck
Your neck is the next most vulnerable area after your lower back while traveling and sitting for prolonged hours. Trying to sleep while sitting upright ends with you leaning against a window or lowering your head for sleep, which causes a lot of strain and stiffness in your neck and those flat, foamy airline pillows don't offer any help. Carry an inflatable neck pillow for added support to your neck while resting or sleeping in a sitting position during travel and stretching your neck from time to time can make a huge difference. Try stretches like Upper Trapezius Stretch and Levator Scapulae Stretch to relieve a lot of strain from your neck while sitting in your seat.
4. Wear Comfortable Clothing and Shoes
When you're going to be stuck in cramped seats, tight restricting clothes or high heels should never be your outfit of choice when traveling for long hours. Even beyond the sitting, you have to stand in long lines while hauling around your luggage. Hence, whenever possible, choose comfortable clothes made of breathable material, like gym apparel, and shoes like sneakers that slip on and off easily and have no heel while traveling.
5. Stay Hydrated
It is very important to stay hydrated during long trips. Not only does that help diffuse the fatigue and jet lag and prevent sore/dry throat, dry eyes, and dehydration, but the more you drink fluids, the more frequently you'll need to use the washroom which will give you an excuse for getting out of your seat and get moving.
6. Carry Painkillers
Nobody forgets to carry snacks like dark chocolate, potato chips etc. on their trips, but people commonly forget to carry over the counter lower back pain relief products like seat cushions for those times when all the above tips fail. For people with back pain and pre-existing back conditions, long journeys can be very painful and the only solution is to resort to pain relief to get through the trip in peace. Hence, never forget to pack your pain relief medication while going on trips as they can be lifesavers. You can also try taking herbal supplements, there are many cheap supplements like turmeric, devil’s claw etc available in the market for reduced pain and inflammation.
So these were 6 simple tips to travel pain-free. If you follow these tips
closely, you should be relatively pain-free during your travels and journeys.
Happy travels!
Author Bio
Jessica is an avid reader who enjoys getting lost in the world of books.
Holding on to her passion for fitness, She Believes that a healthy diet
is a key to healthy living.