Holiday Travel Tips Help Keep your Spine in Line

The traveler’s worst nightmare: back pain

Many of us are winding down the last few days at work before packing the family in the van or onto the plane for a trip to spend the holidays with family or friends further afield. But travel represents a threat to people with back pain: the hours of sitting required to get from point A to point B deaden your circulation, stiffen your muscles and intensify your already palpable back pain. This holiday season, instead of accepting your traveling fate, be proactive to prevent pain.

Proactive pain relief while traveling

Don’t let back pain be your reality this holiday season. Whether you are going by car, train or plane, take a look at our tips for minimizing the damage to your back.

• Posture is king: it’s easy to let yourself slide down in the seat in search of comfort. But this is doing your back no favors- fight the urge to slide down. Instead sit up and use the assistance of a lumbar pillow and a neck pillow to maintain neutral posture.
• Take frequent breaks: get up mid-flight and stretch; who cares if it looks goofy? Try to pause on the road trip once every hour for stretching and rehydration.
• Stretch in place: there are plenty of movements that provide relief for tight muscles which can be done in tight spaces. Simple neck stretches relieve tension that accumulates during prolonged sitting.
• Hydrate: traveling takes a toll on the body. The best way we can keep our bodies resilient to the terrors of travel is through hydration.

If your back is hurting after the holidays, give your Ramsey chiropractor a call to schedule an appointment

We can help you undo the damages of the holiday season. From subluxation to muscle tension, your body can use a reset to start the new years off right. We are standing by to help you reduce back pain with natural modalities including spinal adjustment and mobilization. Let’s work together to get your spine back to a stable state so that you can enjoy the holidays and new year in a state of good health and well-being.