A long family road trip is the ultimate adventure… in your 20s and 30s. Later on in life, it can provoke complaints from your back and a few other strategic body parts. Luckily, car road trip chiropractic tips are at your disposal to relieve discomfort and rediscover enjoyment.
Are you 100 percent prepared for a long road trip? Here are a few effective approaches you can use to get rid of stiffness, aches, and headaches, no matter how many hours you spend behind the wheel.
Stretch Before, Stretch During, Stretch After!
In other words, and if you need a bit more title interpretation – stretch as often as you remember to. If you forget and get easily distracted, set a reminder. That’s how important stretching is.
Why should you do a bit of stretching on a road trip? When you remain in the same position for long periods of time, your muscles tighten. Stretching relieves some of that tension, allowing oxygen and blood back into the muscle tissue.
It’s very easy to do a couple of basic stretches before getting in the car and during the road trip.
Have a little walk. Do a simple quad stretch. A few side squats will also come in handy. While in the car, move your head from side to side (this will reduce neck stiffness). A few other seated kinds of stretches and yoga poses you can attempt include a seated spinal twist, anterior shoulder stretch and even the lotus pose if you’re a back seat passenger.
Take regular breaks every one or two hours to stretch more thoroughly.
Get a Lumbar Pillow
Some of the best car road trip chiropractic tips are the easiest ones to employ. You definitely don’t need a degree to do this one.
Lumbar support pillows are an excellent choice for a road trip.
It’s the perfect little tool to reduce the risk of back pain while driving or partaking in a long trip. The pillow improves your posture and everyone knows that bad posture is one of the main contributors to aches. As an added bonus, you’ll get to experience more comfort, which is always desirable in the car.
Some research suggests that lumbar support pillows also improve circulation, prevent further damage if you’re already experiencing an issue and reduce sciatica pain. Do you need any more reasons to go online and find a good, ergonomic pillow for your next road trip?
Supported Feet Are Happy Feet
Don’t underestimate the importance of good foot support.
The right height and the right placement of the feet will support your spine and keep it in a neutral position.
Otherwise, the lower back will have to compensate for the poor positioning and the result of such over-compensation is dreadful stiffness and aches.
Try to keep your knees at a 90-degree angle during the road trip. Your hips should also be positioned slightly below knee height. A firm surface underneath the feet is a good choice, as it facilitates the maintenance of a healthy position.
If you’re driving, employ cruise control (hopefully, your car comes decked out with such novelties). Freeing your legs for at least a part of the trip can reduce discomfort significantly.
And here’s two final, very simple bonus chiropractic tips for you.
- Do get a second experienced driver to partake in your road trip. It’s a good idea to change drivers every few hours. Being the only driver that the group’s relying on means that you’ll be very sore by the time the final destination is reached. This is why a bit of preliminary planning is going to pay off.
Schedule regular appointments with your local chiropractic clinic. Just like the dentist or doctor, regular chiro visits can help in numerous ways and form part of your healthcare team.