8 Simple Travel Tips to Stay Healthy
Let’s be honest, most airplane, train, and bus seats are notorious for being uncomfortable, especially for long distance travel. We put up with it because many of us are going somewhere that we can relax, de-stress, or just get some time away from our busy schedules.
With a few simple posture tricks, and some creative solutions, it is easy to make your travel more comfortable so that you can arrive at your destination refreshed and pain-free. With these simple tips and travel “hacks”, you can eliminate some of the common causes of pain while you travel, allowing you to enjoy the trip AND the destination.
Movement
The first and most important thing to do when travelling is to get up and move often, at least once per hour. When we sit longer than one hour, we see a decrease in circulation (especially in the lower limbs), increases in stiffness and pain at our muscles and joints, and higher mental and visual fatigue from increased electronic device use. By getting up at least once an hour to stretch and move around, we give our bodies and eyes a break and the movement increases circulation throughout the body.
Rest and Pace Yourself
Keep yourself well rested and keep a routine while you are travelling. Plan out your trip to allow for rest between connections, time to eat, and washroom breaks. Know your flight itinerary and ensure you have enough time to get through customs. Even become familiar with the airports you are connecting through can reduce the stress of arriving in an unfamiliar airport and give you a better sense of direction.
Suitcases
Whether you are going for a weeklong trip, or a quick weekend, making sure you select the right bag is an important first step to your travels. Most luggage comes with wheels and a handle, which is a great first step. When you are buying luggage, you want to make sure that the handle is sturdy, hidden for easier storage, and is long enough that you do not have to lean or reach when pulling it behind you. When it comes to wheels, you want to treat them as if they were the wheels on your car. This means maintaining and lubricating them to minimize pull force. As the wheels go over several different surfaces, dirt, dust, and hair are caught up in the axel/bearings, increasing friction and making it harder to pull. Cleaning out the wheels and axels, and adding a bit of oil/lubricant, after each trip can help maintain the lifespan of your suitcase and reduce the physical strain of dragging it behind us.
Recent changes with suitcase design has opened up variations in posture to combat shoulder and wrist related pain. An ideal posture to transport your luggage would be to push, rather than pull the item. This prevents shoulder and wrist strain from reaching backwards, while also allowing for more control and force to push the suitcase, especially heavy ones. There are not many suitcases designed for pushing, so it may take some testing at the store to find one that is comfortable and easy to maneuver.
Carry-ons
For carryon items, bags with two straps (even better if it has a chest strap), such as backpacks, provide the most benefits over duffle bags and over-the-shoulder bags. Distributing the bag weight over both shoulders, as opposed to all on one, minimizes the strain to one side of the body and keeps the weight centered for optimal balance. It also prevents the bag from swinging around and striking objects or other travellers. Just be sure that your backpack has covered zippers, the ability to lock the bag, and cut resistant fabric to prevent theft of your items.
Back Support
When it comes to finding a comfortable seated posture, we want to use similar concepts covered in offices when setting up a desk chair. While there are less adjustable features, items you bring with you, that don’t take up much storage space, can be used to supplement a lack of adjustability.
With any seated posture, having good lumbar support is an important feature to preventing back and hip pain. An easy way to get more lumbar support is to use a hand towel/scarf as support. By rolling up the towel, you can change the density and depth of support. Then just place it in the lower back, about level to the top of the hips, and enjoy the extra support! Alternatively, you can pack a dedicated lumbar support, which can come as a foam support or, what I would recommend, an inflatable air pocket to take up less space and provide more adjustability.
Neck Posture
With more and more people using mobile phones and tablets as entertainment devices, placing these electronics at a comfortable viewing height will help promote better neck postures and reduce strain.
The optimal position for your electronic devices is in front and level with your eyes. This however can be difficult while travelling as space and positioning can be limited. A quick fix is to place your device on a lifted surface (such as on top of your carry-on). Even placing a pillow in your lap to rest your arms on while holding your phone can lift the phone, reducing the strain placed on the neck.
Hydrate
Especially when travelling by airplane, breathing in the recirculated air for long periods will dehydrate you faster. Keeping hydrated helps reduce fatigue and muscle soreness, gets you up more often, and keeps your eyes healthy. Another side affect to dehydration that many people may not realize, is the headaches. Most people attribute headaches while travelling to fatigue, stress, or muscle soreness, which can be contributing factors, but dehydration is one of the biggest contributors. Even a loss of 1% of fluid loss can lead to mild headaches and fatigue.
Stretching
Combining basic stretches when you get up and walk around will help to increase circulation and stretch out muscles and joints that have been stationary for a long period. Want to get some basic stretches that you can do anywhere? Consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter and you get access to a stretch information sheet and more!
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