Protecting Posture on the Road

The holiday season is here and that means that a lot of people will be hitting the road to visit friends and family. When traveling in the car for an extended period of time, there is a great chance that you'll start to feel cramped and uncomfortable. This article will tell you how to combat all of the pain and discomfort of long road trips.

The first thing to pay attention to is something that can be fixed the second you step in your car. Properly adjusting your rear-view mirror when you first get into the car assures that it will be placed appropriately while you're sitting upright. After you adjust your mirror properly while you're sitting upright do not touch it for the rest of the road trip. Many people will start to slouch in their chair, causing excessive strain on the neck and back. If you're starting to have trouble seeing out of your rear-view mirror, adjust your body not the mirror. This will ensure that you don't start to slouch and cause that extra stress on your body.

The next issue with long car rides is that the muscles in your lower extremities will begin to tighten from spending such an extended period of time in limited positions. This can cause the muscles to pull on your pelvis and cause minor shifts in the positioning of your pelvis, resulting in pain or discomfort. The way to combat this is to stretch at each stop you take. Make sure that you're stretching your quads, hamstrings, and hip-flexors in order to reduce any unwanted stress on the pelvis.

Follow these simple tips and you will feel a lot better after getting out of the car at the end of your long trips. Have a happy holiday and drive safe.

-Taite