How to Make Travel Easier on Your Body

Travel often brings to mind vacations or business trips. Yet, everyday activities like commuting to work, running errands, and keeping appointments can mean spending hours traveling each day. This frequent travel without proper back support can lead to wear and tear on your back, resulting in ailments like chronic pain.

Enhancing Your Travel Routine for Better Health

To better support your body during travel, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy diet, engage in regular exercise, and follow a proper sleep schedule. However, these steps alone may not prevent back pain as we age. So, how exactly do driving and flying contribute to back pain and other chronic conditions?

Can Driving Cause Back Pain?

Yes, there is a significant link between driving and back pain. The more time you spend driving each day and the more consecutive days you spend in the car, the higher your risk of developing lower back pain. This is often due to poor posture and inadequate back support, which can lead to spinal misalignment.

Though long drives can aggravate lower back pain, taking breaks approximately every hour to get up and take a moment to stretch can reduce the risk. A professional chiropractor could provide you with additional lifestyle advice and suggestions on how to best care for your back while driving.

Does Flying Affect Joint Pain or Make Inflammation Worse?

While flying alone may not cause joint pain or inflammation, being confined on a plane when already experiencing these issues can be extremely painful. There are certainly several travel tips to reduce the risk of joint pain and inflammation while traveling on a plane.

Strategies to Minimize Joint Pain and Inflammation While Flying

• Choose the Right Luggage: Opt for easy-to-transport luggage, like four-wheeled suitcases.
• Check Your Bags: Prefer checking bags over having to carry and lift heavy items into overhead bins.
• Request Assistance: Always ask for assistance when necessary to prevent exacerbating inflammation.
• Stretch and Move: Utilize opportunities to stretch or walk when it’s safe to do so during the flight.

East Bay Chiropractic Can Help to Alleviate Your Back Pain and Increase Your Quality of Life

Frequent travel without proper back support can cause spinal misalignment and aggravate a number of chronic conditions, such as joint pain. East Bay Chiropractic specializes in the use of the Graston Technique® in pain management and relief caused by soft tissue fibrosis and chronic inflammation that could lead to constant discomfort or pain. And with decades of experience, you know you’ll be in good hands. Contact East Bay Chiropractic and request an appointment today.