December 2024 Newsletter

Safe Holiday Travel Tips

Here are some tips to stay comfortable and prevent stiffness or pain during your holiday travels:

1. Pack Light or Ask For Help to Lift a Heavy Bag

• Use rolling suitcases to minimize heavy lifting and don’t use just one arm or your shoulder might talk to you the next day.
• People actually love to help and feel most rewarded to assist people in need, so just ask and make sure you appreciate people whom help others.

2. Save Your Lower Back and Support Your Posture

• If have disc related lower back pain, neutral spine is key to reduce the compression forces on your spinal cushions(discs).  Plane seats are not made to support your back and I always use a sweet shirt and roll it up to be placed in the small/arch part of your lower back.  
• Slouched sitting is the worst so at least sit tall(axial elongation) which is active traction taking stress off the discs.
• To avoid the summation of forces(building up pressure which can herniate the discs), try 20-30 pelvic tilts(arching/rounding the lower back) every 30 minutes.

3. Long Car Ride Strategies

• Take breaks every 1-2 hours or when getting gas try 10 support squats with hands on the door frame or try to walk around for 2-3 minutes to get blood flow in the legs.
• If unable to stand and walk try elongating and doing pelvic tilts (30x) every 30 minutes.

4. Hydration is Key for Overall Health and Lower   Back Pain

• Our Discs are filled with water like sponges, but first if we don’t drink enough water how do they have a chance.
• The general rule to be well hydrated:
  Start by dividing your weight (lbs) in half and that number is how many ounces you need to drink per day. (i.e. 180 lbs / 2 = 90 oz in water.)

5. Neck Ergonomics and How to Avoid a Flare up

• Bring a travel pillow for your neck and avoid the tech neck or tweak that could happen if you fall asleep with your head down. 

6. Use Supportive Accessories If you Have a Total Knee Replacement

• The cabin pressures like the barometric pressures increased swelling and decreased blood flow causing more pain.
• Compression socks are especially recommended for arthritis and post knee replacement patients to keep the blood flowing back to the heart.

Best Easy Stretches After You Travel

Sitting for long periods can leave your body feeling stiff and tense. Let's go over quick and easy stretches you can do right from your chair to improve flexibility, reduce tension, and boost circulation. These simple tips are perfect for work, travel, or even relaxing at home.

Spinal Roll Down

• This is a great thing to do to lubricate the spinal joints.
• Start with a chin tuck
• Roll down to attempt to touch your toes pulling your sternum in and then your belly button
• This encourages spinal articulation and mild stability to bring synovial fluid(the oil of the body) into the joint spaces reducing stiffness.  

The Classic Hip Flexor Stretch

• Start by kneeling and use a soft pad or a couch to save your knee caps from compression pain
• Lock and load first by tilting the pelvis flattening the lower back(if you don’t do this you missed the point and could hurt your back more)
• New research shows holding this for 2-3 minutes is better than the minimum of only 30 seconds
• You should only feel a stretch in the front of the hip and thigh.

Latissimus Dorsi Fascial Stretch

• Best by holding on to a stable bar or door knob with your palm up.
• Place the same side leg across your body
• Allow your body weight to pull and distract your body to receive the side body stretch.
• This is a very helpful stretch for shoulder flexibility and indirectly helps with lower back pain 

By incorporating these simple strategies, you can enjoy your holiday travels without putting undue strain on your body. If you experience any pain or discomfort during or after your trip, our physical therapy team is here to help you recover quickly and get back to your routine!