Traveling for the holidays can be a real pain in the neck! I have just returned from a 16 hour truck drive from Florida to Texas. The hardest part can be the lack of room depending on your family and the stuff they bring. Some of my hardest struggles is sharing the front seat with a 12 pounds Schnauzer as my seat is never just my own.
How can I avoid neck pain and/or back pain while being in the car for any significant time. The best advice is to plan small but frequent breaks. Every two hours is a good break time for continued traveling needs, gas, snacks, bathroom stops, and stretching. When you take your breaks, be sure to do some neck and back stretching such as back extensions, chin tucks into extension, and chin tuck with rotations. These can be helpful as your muscles and joints need movement and the car keeps a more static posture.
While in the car, be sure to adjust your lumbar support to keep a small arch in the low back. The small arch in the low back will set up your upper back and neck into better positions without having to work so hard to keep your neck in a good alignment. Use the neck support throughout the ride in order to rest the neck.
Napping in the car cause some significant pain due to the position and the inactivity it causes. Be sure to take a good neck pillow and prop yourself well for resting. If possible, lay the seat back a bit to support yourself better. Overall, change positions as needed and frequently. If you ended up in pain and difficulty, give me a call and we can sort it out and get you back to feeling better for the holiday fun. 352-727-0472.
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