Have you ever spent the first day or two of a vacation nursing a sore back or neck because of how uncomfortable the plane ride was? If no, good on ya! You’re probably in the minority. I’ve had many patients ask me how to manage sitting for prolonged periods and what to do about the stiffness that they incur, so with the holidays fast approaching I figured I would share some of my tips.
1. Move more
Ultimately this is your best shot at decreasing your travel soreness. Often the simplest answer is the best answer. If you’re someone who often struggles with this, pick the aisle seat on the plane so that you can get up and take a walk once an hour. Are you one of those people who doesn’t stop the car for anything? How about you stop the car a couple of times to get up and move around so that you’re not miserable for the first few hours or days even when you arrive at your destination. And if you’re peeing in water bottles…there’s no help for you. You can stop at a rest stop every hour for 2 minutes to get out of the car, do a couple of squats, stretch, and get back on the road in no time.
2. Adjust your seat when possible
If you are shorter than 5’7” or taller than 5’9”, most seats were not made for you. A seat on an airplane isn’t very adjustable, but maybe you could bring a hand towel to roll up to give you some more lumbar support. In the car, I adjust my seat depending on what type of driving I’m doing. If I’m on the highway, I’ll move my seat closer to the pedals because I’m mainly on the gas, but if I’m in stop and go traffic I’ll move back to make it easier to switch from gas to brake. If you find yourself sitting in your car and your knees are above your hips, or your feet aren’t touching the floor, you might benefit from adjusting your seat! Take a look at the photo below for some things to think about when setting up your driver's seat:
3. Go for a walk when you get to your destination
You might feel tired from your long travels, but going for a 10-15 minute walk can really do wonders for shaking the rust off, and it might even energize you so that you can spend more quality time with your loved ones. Most people know that this can be helpful for them but they never do it. Put something fun at the destination to make it fun! Walk somewhere to get some ice cream (never too cold for ice cream, I stand by that), see some holiday lights, or go visit a neighbor.
4. Do some mobility exercises, here are my favorites
At Alterra, we've helped lots of frequent travelers eliminate their neck and back pain. If you're local to Boston's Back Bay area and are trying to eliminate travel related pain, we're here to help! Book a free discovery call to chat with a therapist today.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.
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