Now that it’s summer, many are going away on vacations. However, traveling may have some unpleasant side effects to your back. Sitting for long periods of time puts pressure on the discs in your spine and can cause back and neck pain. Remember, posture is a key factor in back pain, and sitting long term can develop bad posture habits. Poor sitting posture can strain your back and correcting bad posture can lead to less pain and strain on your back. Outlined below are 6 tips to help with back pain, whether from traveling or otherwise.
1. Comfort. On a plane ride, a car ride or anything, comfort is a must. Often bad posture leads to back pain, so if you’re comfortable, you likely have good posture. Make sure your seat is optimally adjusted.
2. Stretch. Stretching helps prevent muscles from becoming tight and helps keep the muscles healthy and flexible. Frequent breaks that include standing and moving around can reduce pain and may even lower certain risks, such as blood clots.
3. Hydration. Water helps with soreness and tension. Also, it helps transport the nutrients around the body. One nutrient it can transport is protein, which is made up of amino acids that help build your muscles.
4. Ice Packs (cold). Cold therapy reduces the blood flow to the applied area, reducing swelling. Ice therapy has a local anesthetic affect, which means it can reduce pain well.
5. Massage (hot). Although it seems counterintuitive, hot therapy works too! The heat increases blood flow and creates a soothing effect. It can also help heal damaged tissue in certain circumstances.
6. Medications. Certain medications, such as anti-inflammatories or acetaminophen, can reduce pain. When taking medications, remember to never exceed your daily maximum and only to do so under the care of a qualified physician.
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