With long trips come back pain or neck pain. The seats in cars, aeroplanes, buses, and trains, sometimes are not the most comfortable. Besides sitting still for an extended time can in itself aggravate painful areas in the back and neck.
Seats in cars, trains, planes etc. often don’t provide the right type of support for the lower back and/or neck. A support pillow can be used to make your seat more comfortable and support your lower back. If you don’t have one or forget to bring it, a jacket, sweater or blanket rolled up can also provide support for the inward curve of the low back.
Proper support for the low back also requires bottom-up leverage from your feet. If your feet are not placed on a firm surface while sitting, additional stress is transferred to your low back. Therefore, if your seat is too high, try to rest your feet on a footrest (or something that can act as a footrest) to keep your knees at a right angle and avoid stressing the low back.
A heavy bag can be more than just an inconvenience—it can cause or aggravate back pain by straining muscles and joints. To avoid unnecessary strain, it’s best to use a light suitcase with wheels and a handle for rolling it. Even when using a suitcase with wheels, you will probably need to lift it to go up or downstairs, in and out of the car, etc. Therefore, instead of stuffing one large suitcase full, it is often better to use a few smaller bags
Sitting for prolonged periods adds strain to the structures of the low back, and poor posture puts even more stress on your spine. Make sure that your back is aligned against the back of your seat in a sitting position and that your headrest is supporting the middle of your head. Keep the shoulders straight and avoid hunching forward. Make sure both feet are firmly resting on the floor or a footrest. If you are driving, adjust the seat and steering wheel to a comfortable position to avoid reaching for the wheel.
Move as much as possible. Stretch your legs and hips. Sitting can also cause stiffness and tension in the hamstrings (the muscles in the back of the thighs) and hip flexor muscles, which can put pressure on the low back. Keep your hamstrings limber with standing or sitting hamstring stretch
Moreso, back strain usually occurs near the end of one’s range of motion when lifting a heavy item. Experts recommend moving slowly when lifting a heavy piece of luggage and breaking the action into smaller parts whenever possible. Other important lifting tips include:
- Bend at the knees and use leg muscles rather than back muscles to lift
- Avoid twisting the low back while lifting; instead, pivot with the feet
- Carry heavy items as close to the body as possible
- Distribute weight evenly on each side of the body
- If carrying one shoulder bag, switch sides often to avoid stressing one side of the back