When you are on holidays, or in transit for business, a major problem for those with back pain is trying to get back pain relief while traveling. Often travel is associated with long stints seated on uncomfortable plane seats, or stuck in confined positions in motor vehicles, trains or buses. There are some simple techniques that you can use however, to alleviate the severity of the back pain you are experiencing while you are traveling.

Just take a few minutes out of each day of your trip to do these quick and easy exercises and it will make a HUGE difference to the quality of your journey.

Here is a recent article dedicated to helping you out during your travels when you can’t get to a doctor, physio or chiropractor.

Back Pain Relief While Traveling

Some great ideas if you need back pain relief while traveling

Back pain is not trivial. It is the most common type of pain Americans experience, according to the National Institute of Health Statistics survey. More than 26 million Americans between the ages of 20 and 64 experience frequent back pain. It is also the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old. The CDC reports that adults with low back pain were three times as likely to be in fair or poor health and more than four times as likely to experience serious psychological distress as people without low back pain.

 

Unfortunately, some of the best opportunities to hurt your back and neck actually happen on vacation — while you’re in the car, on the plane, or sleeping on a lousy hotel bed. Here are some travel tips to keep your spine healthy.

 

Here are 6 tips and exercises that can help ease the pain while traveling. Once you read them they will sound obvious, but usually the best tips are those that are loaded with “not so common sense”.

Sit right.
Adjusting your car seat helps you avoid stiffness, strains, and soreness after a long drive. Put your seat back in the upright position (not at 90 degrees but a little more like 105 degrees), not leaning back so you look out the backseat window. Move the whole seat forward and tilt it so your feet are flat on the floor and the knees are elevated slightly higher than your hips.

 

Look in the mirror.
A great way to make sure you are sitting upright and not slouching is to adjust the rearview mirror in the morning. When we wake up, we are at our tallest because our spine is fully hydrated. We also aren’t pooped from work and hunched forward. Then don’t touch the mirror again. Adjust your posture to meet the mirror — not the other way around. This will reduce neck strain and fatigue during the day.

 

Protect your neck.
The American Chiropractic Association estimated that more than 75 percent of drivers have their headrest at an inappropriate height. Reduce your chances of whiplash by raising the headrest so the middle of it meets the back of your head.
• At a 20 mph rear-end collision the neck is whipped back at 12 G and forward at 16 G.
• During a collision, the neck is whipped and the normal curve is reversed within 75 milliseconds.
• It takes roughly 200 milliseconds for the brain to send a message to the supporting muscles to prevent damage. By the time they do contract they are now supporting a misaligned neck, which can lead to 40% ligament strength, degeneration of the spine and muscle tension from poor posture.
• One study found 39% more degeneration in the spine of accident victims when compared to a control group.
• Damage to the individual inside the vehicle during an accident is 2.5 times greater

 

Grab the wheel.
Most of us are taught to drive with our hands at the 10 and 2 o’clock position. That’s correct, as long as you drop your elbows so your arms and shoulders can relax. I find myself holding my elbows up and contracting my trapezius muscles or shoulders. This position can happen at your desk too when you aren’t supporting your arms but holding them up. Over time it will cause muscle tension and even headaches.

 

Alternatively, lower your steering wheel, grab the wheel at the 8 and 4 o’clock position, and use the armrest, if you have one, or rest your arms on your legs.

 

Stretch your neck.
At stoplights or rest stops, do neck exercises. Do side-to-side head turns, and gently tip your ear to the shoulder of the same side, then repeat on the other side. This will help reduce the stress that’s been building up during your rush hour traffic commute on Route 235.

 

Fly in comfort.
Onboard the plane, here are some ways to achieve the healthiest position.
• Place a neck pillow or rolled-up blanket behind your neck to support it so the headrest isn’t pushing your head forward.
• Do the same behind your lower back to support the lumbar spine.
• Use your carry-on like a footstool to raise your knees above the level of your hips.
• For reading, pull out the tray and place a pillow or your rolled-up jacket on it, then put your reading material on top so you don’t have to bend your neck down to read.

See more exercises from the original article here

 

To find lots of great tips like this specifically for back pain relief while traveling you should sign up for the free 7 day back pain cure book by respected back expert Jesse Cannone. It is a great way to start doing things right in relation to how you treat your back and your body each day.
 

The offer is limited so be sure to sign up in the box on the top right of this page

 
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