Traveling is fun and fulfilling, but you have to remember to take the necessary precautions regarding your health and your body as you go about seeing the world. Traveling can take a toll on your back, given the amount of walking, lifting of luggage, strolling around with your camera, or even sitting down on airplanes, trains, bus rides and car rides.
All of these activities can place stress on your back, so make sure that you are always mindful of protecting it and avoiding injury at all costs. Here are some things you should keep in mind in order to do this:
1. Strengthen your lower back
Protection for your back should start even before the travel begins. This is something that should be incorporated into your routine regularly - strength and conditioning exercises that make it strong and resistant to immediate injury.
2. Maintain your posture
Having the proper posture provides support to your back, so that you always know which muscles are engaged when you need to carry certain items or engage in different activities such as picking things up off the ground, sitting down, walking, driving, or even running.
3. Bend your knees when lifting
Handling your luggage is no joke. Most luggage is as heavy as a teenager - and carrying it around should not be taken for granted. When you pick yours up from the luggage belt, make sure to bend your knees and engage your core muscles. When carrying it and putting it inside vehicles, or taking it out of other compartments, make sure to ask for assistance, especially when you are having a hard time or when it is clearly too heavy for you. As you carry your luggage around, make sure to use the strolling mechanism properly so as not to give your back any additional stress.
4. Use a pillow for your long rides
There are a lot of pillows and other modern innovations that provide your back with support for long rides on airplanes, busses, and other vehicles. Get one for yourself to keep yourself comfortable in these parts of your excursion.
5. Get yourself checked in case of any accidents
If you ever encounter any accidents during your trip, make sure to take the necessary precautions. Get yourself checked at the hospital and have a professional make a proper assessment. Ensure you follow the proper steps to protect yourself from further injury and pain. Get documentation of the incident in case you may need to file claims. If the accident is caused by your driver or other vehicle operator, you can get experts such as Herrman & Herrman PLLC: Spinal cord injury lawyer who will be able to help you in these specific situations.
These are things you should keep in mind so you are well-prepared before your trip. Remember that prevention is always better than a cure, and preparedness is the best way to prevent any unwanted circumstances from happening.
