4 tips to make traveling easier for your body
4 tips to make traveling easier for your body
Summer is almost over, but chances are you’ll be traveling again soon: fall foliage is just around the corner and family vacations are just around the corner. Travel, while exciting and rewarding, is often not easy on the body – especially as you get older. I’ve strained my back muscles more than once by hauling my luggage down the stairs (it says “luggage” because you drag it?). They don’t really have an exercise program at the gym to prepare you to haul 40-pound suitcases while sprinting to catch your connecting flight. To help make your next trip less painful, we’ve put together four tips to keep you comfortable when flying or driving out of town.
Pay attention to your travel plans.
First things first: know your body’s limitations and do your best to work within them. For example, if you remember that sitting in the car for a long drive hurts your back, try taking a fast flight to your destination instead.
If you have no choice but to embark on a journey that is likely to irritate your body, prepare to fight pain ahead of time. “If you have arthritis that makes walking painful, consult a physical therapist or physical medicine doctor in the months leading up to your trip to improve your range of motion and endurance,” says Dr. DJ Kennedy, Physician and Rehabilitation Physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, recommended The New York Times. He also suggested bringing doctor-recommended pain relievers just in case you need pharmaceutical assistance.
Limit your luggage weight.
Obviously, to avoid lugging heavy luggage, the easiest way is to pack lightly. But if you do to need To pack a large bag, a rollable bag is ideal – you won’t strain your muscles carrying it in your hand or on your shoulder. Bags with four wheels roll more easily than bags with two; Personally, I have a quadricycle, and I usually push it in front of me rather than pull it behind, at least when I’m on smooth surfaces (like an airplane floor). Squeezing feels better for my joints.
When you need to carry a bag on dr Deborah Venesy, a physician at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health in Ohio, recommends a backpack. Backpacks are convenient because the straps can be adjusted to fit your figure and you can use both straps to evenly distribute the weight you are carrying.
Finally, if you need help lifting your luggage into the plane’s overhead locker, don’t be afraid to ask! That’s why the flight attendants are there (or a friendly fellow passenger can help).
Take breaks to stretch or move.
If you sit for long periods of time while flying or driving, try to take frequent breaks to move your body and prevent stiffness and pain. For a car journey, this could mean stopping and getting out every hour or so to stretch your legs; You can eat something, have a cup of coffee or just park at a rest area and take a brisk walk around your car.
Getting changed on an airplane is a bit more difficult – but you can still go to the bathroom (if you book an aisle seat, it’s less of a nuisance!). There are also some simple stretches you can do while seated to reduce pain. Yoga therapist Judi Bar recommends a seated cat-cow pose to loosen up your spine, a seated spinal twist where you gently twist your torso in one direction (especially easily within the confines of a chair), slow neck and shoulder rolls, or a seated forward bend to stretch your lower and upper back (this will require a bit more space, so try it at the airport or train station). Read her explanations of these travel yoga routes at ClevelandClinic.Org.
Last but not least, if your legs and feet tend to swell during seated air travel, try wearing compression stockings on board to stimulate circulation and provide compression. After being in confined spaces for a long time, the veins in your legs have trouble circulating blood back to the heart, which can cause pressure and swelling. When your leg muscles aren’t contracting, blood flow doesn’t work efficiently, which also puts you at a higher risk of pulmonary embolism and blood clots.
sit properly.
Sitting may sound easy, but there are definitely positions you can adopt to limit body aches later on. “Make sure you sit as far back in the chair as possible so there’s no space between your hips and the back of the seat,” says Amanda Brick, a physical therapist at Professional Physical Therapy bustle. You can also roll up a sweatshirt or blanket and place it behind your lower back for lumbar support and better posture.
Many people use a phone, tablet, or book to converse on a plane or car ride; However, hours of staring down can cause uncomfortable neck tension. To avoid this, it is advisable to put every device you use at eye level. For example, you can use the SkyClip to attach your phone or iPad to the back of the front seat – without disturbing fellow passengers. For more holder options, see this list on Knaviation.net. And if you’re planning on napping on the train or plane, be sure to invest in a neck pillow; These are usually U-shaped and designed to support your head and neck muscles and prevent your head from tipping too far to either side when you nod off.
We hope you can use these tips to travel safely and comfortably this fall! Bonus tip: If you’re bringing a dog or cat with you on your trip, read this article on how to fly safely with your furry friend in tow.