Summer is here! If you live in Arizona, you’re likely planning a getaway to escape the heat. Whether you’re squeezing into a middle seat or driving for miles, summer travel should be fun and not a recipe for aches and pains. Prolonged sitting, which most often is unavoidable when travelling, can quickly drain the joy from your vacation before you even unpack.
Ideally, you want to arrive at your destination ready to explore, not needing to recover. The goal is to minimize stiffness and pain while traveling. As a physical therapist, a common question I hear this time of year is, “What can I do to prevent injury while traveling?” Here are my tips.
Preparation Before Your Trip
Pre-trip stress is common. Pace yourself and give yourself plenty of time to pack. Packing is the #1 cause of pre-trip injuries that I see.
To pack strategically, place your items on a counter or dresser first. This allows you to load your suitcase without repeated forward leaning, which increases spinal compression forces, that can lead to pain. Also, take frequent breaks while packing, distribute weight evenly in your bags, and keep luggage close to your body when lifting. Bend from your knees and avoid twisting your spine, especially when lifting bags into overhead bins, to reduce the risk of back spasms and shoulder strains.
In the weeks leading up to your trip, develop a consistent stretching and conditioning routine to prepare your body. Perform full body stretches right before you leave to prime your joints and muscles.
During Your Trip
The most common source of travel related injury is poor ergonomics. Sitting is unavoidable, but it compresses spinal discs and can even contribute to deep vein thrombosis.
- On airplanes: Stand up every 60–90 minutes to walk the aisle. Every 20 minutes, perform ankle pumps or move your legs to promote circulation. You can also do seated glute squeezes and shoulder rolls. If you are shorter, place a personal item under your feet so your legs don’t dangle, which pulls the pelvis forward to relieve the strain in in the lower back. Additionally, you can use a rolled-up jacket or blanket behind your lower back to support your spine.
- In cars: Stop every 2 hours to walk and do gentle backbends for 3-5 minutes. Adjust your seat to 100–110 degrees to reduce pressure on lumbar discs. Keep your hands at 9 and 3 o’clock to relax your neck and shoulders, and use cruise control when safe so your feet can rest flat, squaring your pelvis. Also, on long road trips, its a good idea to switch drivers.
For both modes of travel, keep your hips slightly higher than your knees to relieve pressure on your lower back and sciatic nerve. Hydrate consistently. Airplane air is very dry, and dehydration can make spinal discs less shock absorbent. Finally, keep a jacket handy. A/C blowing on your neck and shoulders can cause muscles to tighten.
Post-Trip
When you arrive, skip the urge to sit or lie down immediately; go for a short walk instead to promote flexibility and promote blood flow. Continue drinking water to rehydrate your spinal discs. Stretching is crucial to reverse the effects of prolonged sitting. Focus on chest, pectoral, and quadricep stretches. Finally, give yourself a day to recover from travel and jet lag.
Vacation is for making memories, not nursing an aching back or stiff neck. By incorporating these small posture tweaks, you can protect your joints and arrive ready for adventure. If you are dealing with persistent aches or gearing up for summer travel, the team at Rethrive Physical Therapy and Wellness is here to help you move comfortably. Feel free to ask your doctor for a referral or contact us directly so we can get you feeling your best.
Eric Ullman, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
Owner of ReThrive Wellness, PLLC
ericullman@rethrivewellness.com
www.rethrivewellness.com