Healthy Living
Preventing Travel Aches and
Strains
Dr.
George Traitses.
Traveling
can be rough on the body. Whether you are
traveling
alone on business or on your way to a sunny
resort with
your family, long hours in a car or an airplane
can leave
you stressed, tired, stiff and sore.
“Prolonged
sitting can wreak havoc on your body,”
says Dr.
George Traitses. “Even if you travel in the most
comfortable
car or opt to fly first class, certain pressures
and forces
from awkward positions can result in
restricted
blood flow. One of the biggest insults to your
system from
prolonged sitting is the buildup of pressure
in the blood
vessels in your lower legs.
Contracting
and relaxing the muscles helps the blood
flow
properly.”
Dr. Traitses
and the OCA suggest the following tips and
advice to
fight the strains of travel before they occur.
Warm Up,
Cool Down
• Treat
travel as an athletic event. Warm up before
settling
into a car or plane, and cool down once
you reach
your destination. Take a brisk walk to
stretch your
hamstring and calf muscles.
In an
Airplane
• Stand up
straight and feel the normal “S” curve of
your spine.
Then use rolled-up pillows or blankets
to maintain
that curve when you sit in your seat.
Tuck a
pillow behind your back and just above the
beltline and
lay another pillow across the gap
between your
neck and the headrest. If the seat is
hollowed
from wear, use folded blankets to raise
your
buttocks a little.
• Check
all bags heavier than 5to 10 percent of your
body weight.
Overhead lifting of any significant
amount of
weight should be avoided to reduce the
risk of pain
in the lower back or neck. While lifting
your bags,
stand right in front of the overhead
compartment
so the spine is not rotated. Do not lift
your bags
over your head, or turn or twist your
head and
neck in the process.
• When
stowing belongings under the seat, do not
force the
object with an awkward motion using
your legs,
feet or arms. This may cause muscle
strain or
spasms in the upper thighs and lower
back
muscles. Instead, sit in your seat first, and
using your
hands and feet, gently guide your bags
under the
seat directly in front of you.
• While
seated, vary your position occasionally to
improve
circulation and avoid leg cramps. Massage
legs and
calves. Bring your legs in, and move your
knees up and
down. Prop your legs up on a book
or a bag
under your seat.
• Do not
sit directly under the air controls. A draft can
increase
tension in neck and shoulder muscles.
Travel By
Car
• Adjust
the seat so you are as close to the steering
wheel as
comfortably possible. Your knees should
be slightly
higher than your hips. Place four fingers
behind the
back of your thigh closest to your knee.
If you
cannot easily slide your fingers in and out of
that space,
you need to re-adjust your seat.
• Consider
a back support. Using a support may
reduce the
incidence of low-back strain and pain.
The widest
part of the support should be between
the bottom
of your rib cage and your waistline.
• Exercise
your legs while driving to reduce the risk of
any
swelling, fatigue or discomfort. Open your toes
as wide as
you can, and count to 10. Count to five
while you
tighten your calf muscles, then your thigh
muscles,
then your gluteal muscles. Roll your
shoulders
forward and back, making sure to keep
your hands
on the steering wheel and your eyes on
the road.
• To
minimize arm and hand tension while driving,
hold the
steering wheel at approximately 3 o’clock
and 7
o’clock, periodically switching to 10 o’clock
and 5
o’clock.
• Do not
grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and
loosen your
grip to improve hand circulation and
decrease
muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists and
hands.
• While
always being careful to keep your eyes on the
road, vary
your focal point while driving to reduce
the risk of
eye fatigue and tension headaches.
• Take
rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential
consequences
of fatigue to yourself, your passengers
and other
drivers.
Safe Travel
for Children
• Always
use a car seat in a car when traveling with
children
below the age of 4 and weighing less than
40 pounds.
• Ask the
airline for their policy on child car seat safety.
Car seats
for infants and toddlers provide added
resistance
to turbulent skies, and are safer than the
lap of a
parent in the event of an unfortunate accident.
• Make
sure the car seat is appropriate for the age
and size of
the child. A newborn infant requires a
different
seat than a 3-year-old toddler.
• Car
seats for infants should always face the rear. In
this
position, the forces and impact of a crash will
be spread
more evenly along the back and shoulders,
providing
more protection for the neck.
• Car
seats should always be placed in the back seat
of the
car–ideally in the center. This is especially
important in
cars equipped with air bags. If an air
bag becomes
deployed, the force could seriously
injure or
kill a child or infant placed in the front
seat.
• Make
sure the car seat is properly secured to the
seat of the
vehicle and is placed at a 45-degree
angle to
support the head of the infant or child.
“If you
follow these simple tips, you can enjoy pain
free, safe
travel,” says Dr. Traitses. “If you do experience
pain and
stress on your back, doctors of chiropractic
are trained
and licensed to diagnose and treat
problems of
the spine and nervous system.
For more
information on health and safety visit the Ontario Chiropractic
Association Web site at www.chiropractic.on.ca or call 1877-327-2273.
Dr. George
Traitses, 416-499-5656, www.infinite-health.com
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