Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and that might mean you’re getting ready to hit the turnpike and head to a relative’s house. Driving over the holidays can be quite stressful on its own, and even more so if you have a long distance to cover. But you can avoid back and neck pain by following one of the best holiday travel tips there is: using better driving posture.
How to Practice Better Driving Posture
Making sure that you’re sitting properly is important when you spend hours at a time working at a desk. And if you’re going to be in a car for any extended period of time, having better driving posture is just as critical. Once you get into the habit of sitting properly in your seat, you’ll be more prepared for future trips.
The rules of ergonomics apply when you’re at the steering wheel just the same as they do at the keyboard. You don’t want to be too close or too far, too low or too high up—make sure you can comfortably see over the wheel and reach the pedals. Your seat should be angled somewhere between 100 and 110 degrees and your knees should be a few inches over the edge of the seat.
If your car doesn’t have lumbar support or adjustable positions, you may want to consider purchasing a cushion or pillow for additional support. These accessories help support correct driving posture and reduce your chances of dealing with back and neck pain after a long trip.
More Holiday Travel Tips to Try in 2022
Using the right driving posture can help ensure that you’re feeling refreshed and ready for time with the family once you arrive at your destination. Better driving posture works best in conjunction with a few other travel tips, like making sure that you give yourself enough time to get where you’re going. If possible, build in a buffer day on either side of your travels so that you can drive at your own pace without feeling rushed.
Just like you take breaks at work, you need to take breaks from driving if you’re covering a lot of miles. Try to make time to stop off for a quick stretch every 100-150 miles or every two hours, whichever comes first. And really stretch when you do—loosen the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and back with some common stretches and get your blood flowing before you get back on the road.
Chiropractic Care Can Help This Holiday
Between travel and preparing food and gearing up for time around family, there’s a lot of stress to go around this time of year. Let Bird Chiropractic help. Schedule an appointment and stop by our office in Voorhees, NJ, for an adjustment. Routine chiropractic care can help relieve back and neck pain, reduce stress, and help you enjoy a better sense of well-being.
