Bank Holiday weekend is here. This weekend the weather is set to be great and many of us will have plans to take advantage of that. A lot of you will go visit family perhaps hundreds of miles away, a lot of you will go camping, going to a festival or a mini break away. Whatever it is you are planning it is likely that you will be driving, probably relatively long distances.

As part of my duties as a busy Staines chiropractor I often advise my patients on how to keep their back safe whilst travelling and particularly driving long distances.

How to keep your back safe

Keeping your back safe whilst driving does not only involve posture, you can do a few things to keep your back in good condition;

Avoid sleeping awkwardly – Being a busy Staines chiropractor I often advise my patients to be careful how they sleep. If you plan on having a nap on your journey (only if you are not driving of course) then make sure you position yourself well. What I mean by this is not resting your head against the window and twisting your back. Invest in a good travel pillow and stay sat upright.

Avoid stiffness – You are likely to be stuck in your car for long periods of time this bank holiday weekend, this can mean being in the same position for long periods of time. You should avoid this by doing shoulder shrugs, buttock clenches and foot circles. Keeping loose and moving is important to avoiding back pain.

Take a break – Of course you have to balance the journey time against taking breaks but definitely do not avoid a break. You should be getting up for a walk ever 40 minutes or so but this can be unreasonably on a long journey. Instead when you do stop for petrol or food break please ensure you go for a brief and brisk walk and make sure you stretch a bit. Your body will need it.

Compensate your lack of movement – Finally it is important to compensate for your prolonged lack of movement. When you arrive at your destination be sure to take a good walk and stretch off. A brisk 20 minute walk will do wonders to avoiding back pain.

If you have any back pain please get in touch with us as we offer a lot of help and advice to get you back up and running as soon as possible.
For a one-to-one session or for further advice please contact us at the Pure Chiropractic Staines Clinic on 01784 464649 or email us at info@purechiropractic.co.uk