Did you know that visiting a chiropractor reduces your chances of going to a hospital by 60%? This sounds great if you’re someone who goes on many adventures regularly. Who wouldn’t want to make the chiropractor happy by taking the right steps in making adjustments before you hit the road or travel abroad?
If you’re looking for more comfort and enjoyment in your travels, then not to worry! In this brief guide, we will show you a few effective tips on how to make the right chiropractic adjustments, when you go traveling.
Let’s dive right in!
Take Breaks Regularly
First and foremost, you have to understand that taking breaks is necessary. If you go without taking a break for a long time, it’ll only worsen your physical stability. Parts of the body like muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons can get sore after a while.
You’ll notice that when you’re traveling, you’ll most likely have to do any of the following:
- Sitting
- Standing
- Walking
Therefore, it’s important to take breaks every so often, especially when you’re traveling. You’ll notice that frequent breaks reduce the stress that might’ve been a problem without them. Now, during your travel, if you can’t find a time to stop for a break, at least schedule rest stops every few hours.
Have Good Posture
“When thinking about chiropractic, you think about posture,” says Laura Gales, a travel blogger at Academic brits. “Having a good posture can save you from feeling the pain later on. Otherwise, bad posture will only aggravate pain and related symptoms.”
With that said, think about having a good posture when doing any of the following in traveling:
- Sitting for certain periods of time (e.g., on a plane, on a bus, etc.)
- Standing for certain periods of time
- Walking or running
- Sleeping, etc.
“The most important thing to do when having a good posture is to sit up straight when you sit,” adds Gales. “Make sure that you have both feet planted firmly on the floor when you sit. In this fact, you’ll achieve an adequate posture.”
Stretch
Stretching can do wonders for your body. When you stretch, you’re sending much-needed blood flow to the source of your pain – whether it’s in your joints, muscles, and so on. However, keep in mind that it’s not wise to overdo stretches. Otherwise, you’ll be doing more harm than good for your muscles. So, when working out all the kinks, take it easy.
Try some of these stretches during your travel:
- Roll the shoulders back and forth
- Do some simple leg lifts
- Slowly roll the ankles in small circles
- Gently move your neck from side to side
Stretching is incredibly important to maintaining health while traveling.
Make Seats Comfortable
Next, think about the seating. As you travel, you will be subject to sitting for either a short time, or long periods of time.
One solution is to use a neck pillow or cushion. You can place this pillow or cushion at the back of your head, as you sit in, say, a bus seat, a car seat, or some other seat. Or, you can use a towel or a blanket– Just roll it up, and then put it on the back of your neck. This solution helps you tackle lower back pain that could’ve been caused without the use of a cushion.
Another solution is to make sure that your seat is high enough. If you’re driving, ensure your seat is at least three inches above the steering wheel. Also, sit back when you drive. Don’t be tempted to lean forward when you drive. Otherwise, leaning forward will cause you to strain your neck and shoulders.
Don’t Overpack For Your Trip
Sometimes, it can be tempting to pack as much stuff as you possibly can. However, overpacking can be detrimental to your body. Imagine having to lug your things during your travel. It can be hard to lug around heavy luggage, only to receive back, muscle, and other pain afterward.
So, before you leave for your travel destination, have a quick look at your luggage. Take a moment to pick each piece of luggage that you want to take with you. If you can’t lift a piece of luggage without straining yourself, then consider double-checking what you have in that bag or suitcase. You’ll have to either remove or replace what you have in the luggage so that it’s easier to carry. This prevents unintended injury and bodily pain.
See A Chiropractor
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to visit a chiropractor. Your chiropractor knows a lot about making sure that body pain doesn’t take over your life. Are you traveling while pregnant? Consider seeing a pregnancy chiropractor during your travels. Get the relief that you need while away from home. All you have to do is make an appointment before your planned travel date. In this way, you’ll be more prepared for when pain tries to stifle your travel plans.
At the chiropractor, you can ask for chiropractic treatments like:
- Massages
- Spinal manipulation
- Posture improvement
- Soft tissue mobilization
These treatments allow for spine realignment, improved posture, and loose and flexible muscles and tissues.
What If Pain Happens Before Or During A Trip?
Sometimes, the inevitable happens during a trip. You start to feel stingy pain in your legs, arms, neck, or somewhere else in the body.
While pain can come from out of nowhere, you can still do something about it. Consider doing some simple exercises to get the blood flowing into the pain points. Your chiropractor will show you the types of exercises that you can do, depending on where you regularly feel pain. They will also suggest the types of stretches that you can do to reduce the pain.
When in doubt, talk to your chiropractor or physician about chiropractic care before heading to your travel destination.
Chiropractic Care When Traveling
Travelling can be the best experience in one’s life. With that said, chiropractic adjustments need to be made before you set off on your next adventure.
Just to recap, be sure to do the following:
- Take frequent breaks
- Keep a good posture
- Do some stretches
- Sit comfortably
- Don’t overpack, AND…
- Visit your chiropractor prior to traveling
By following these simple tips, you’ll be on your way to not just your travel destination, but also to healthy spine and muscle health. Click here to learn more about wellness center practices that you can implement into your travel routine.
Happy travels!