TOP TIPS TO REDUCE BACK PAIN WHILE DRIVING

Sitting while driving is one way you may get lower back pain.  If you spend ore than an hour sitting without movement is places stress to the joints and muscles that support your spine.

Here are some tips to help reduce the impact driving can have on your back.

WHY DOES BACK PAIN OCCUR WHEN DRIVING?

It’s good to remember our backs are designed to move, so being stuck in an uncomfortable static position for a long time while driving can result in back trouble.

If you feel pain through your lower back this could be caused by your posture while driving. Drivers will often sit in the middle of the seat, which fails to support the lower back, leading to back issues.  

When you spend a long time in the drivers seat and are slightly twisted or leaning (such as on an arm rest), your spine/back can end up being in a misaligned position for a long period.

If you already suffer from back pain, riding in the car for an hour or more can be a real challenge.

MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE FROM THE START

Take just a few extra minutes before you begin your journey to settle well back into the seat and get comfortable. 

Sit up nice and straight with your hips straight and feet evenly placed on the pedals. Bring your seat forward so your legs are not stretching to reach pedals.  If your car has the option for cruise control on long drives, you may want to do this so you can rest both feet evenly on the floor. Make sure you can rest your head back onto the headrest comfortably. 

Remove everything from your back pockets such as your wallet, phone or anything else that could put your spine out of alignment.

Shuffle back and sit well back into the seat.  In this position you should be well back from the steering wheel and be able to hold the steering wheel comfortable with both arms with only a slight bend in the arms.

There is no single best position.  You may need to take some trial and error to find what feels most comfortable for you.

GET OUT AND ON THE MOVE

Your back muscles will stiffen very quickly and begin to ache or even spasm if you are just sitting in one position in the car for a long time.   For each 2 hours of driving it’s ideal for everyone to take a 15 minute break.  And if you frequently have back pain even outside of driving, then you should take breaks even as often as every 60 minutes.

Plan your trip so you can schedule stops to be convenient.  When you stop, get out and walk around and stretch.  Moving around like this will stimulate the blood circulation bringing nutrients and oxygen to your lower back.

USE HEAT THERAPY

Many cars are fitted with seat heaters these days. These are a great option for a continuous flow of low-level heat to provide relief. If your vehicle doesn’t have these, other types of health therapy such as heat bags can help to increase blood flow and relax the muscles on a long drive.

Some drivers prefer to apply this type of heat therapy during the breaks they take from driving.

Back pain from driving is a common complaint from clients I see in our Chiropractic Clinic in Albany.  Living in regional areas does tend to increase the time spent driving, especially on long distances.  I hope these simple but effective tips to reduce back pain while driving have been helpful.

If you need to get further advice on back pain and back pain relief while driving, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

Backpacks - Kids Back To School Backpack Tips

BACK TO SCHOOL BACKPACKS AND BAGS

Every day people are putting bags over their shoulder or on their backs.

Travel bags thrown over the shoulder as you take off for a holiday.  Struggling with chair bags for the beach. Handbags and shopping bags filled with an abundance of bargains scored in the latest shopping spree or sales…

Today I want to focus on the kids backpacks as they go back to school.  But don’t stop reading. The following tips also relate to ANY bags you might be putting over the shoulder or on your back too.

Choosing the Right Backpack For Your Children Going Back To School

Do you know how much your child’s school bag weighs??  The backpack should weigh approximately 10% of the child’s body weight. Carrying a heavy school back that is too heave on such a young spine can lead to some serious issues that may continue through until later in life.

Position a backpack over both shoulders rather than on one of the shoulders alone.

Make sure there is padding on the shoulder straps and back of the backpack.

Buy a smaller backpack . This encourages organisation and promotes carrying less weight.

The backpack should be no wider than the chest and no longer than the small of a child’s back.

Packing Your Child’s Backpack

Place the backpack straps over the back of a chair to pack it more easily.  Start by putting the heaviest items in, so they sit close to the spine.  Items like laptops or big and heavy books.

Next, add lighter files or books.

And then the lightest items such as a pencil case and lunchbox toward the front of the backpack.

Personal toiletries or sunscreen can go into the smaller pocket areas, and a drink bottle into side holders.

Keeping the heaviest weight close to the child’s spine is the safest way to carry a load and reduce strain.

Best Way For Your Child To Pick Up A Backpack

My biggest tip here is to start to pack a backpack by hanging the straps over the back of a chair instead of on the floor.  This will mean when the child puts the backpack onto their back, they are not having to bend, reach down to the floor or strain their back to lift the backpack onto their shoulders.

PREPARE YOUR CHILD’S SPINE FOR BACK TO SCHOOL BACKPACKS

It’s always a good idea to take your child in for a ‘back to school’ back check with your chiropractor. This will identify any postural changes that may be required before they become severe. Children are growing so quickly, so what was ideal at the end of one year may not be so good for them a few months later.

A check will help to encourage safe carrying of your child’s backpack and keep their spine safe and healthy.

“Aligning the world, one spine at a time”

Happiness is a choice

Happiness is not always easy and sometimes it is a choice we have to make. Good news is that happy people tend to have better job prospects, earn more money, better health and have better relationships. Happiness needs to be worked on like any other habit. It takes regular practice for it to become easier. There are ways to improve your happiness level.:

• Doing exercise daily is a great way to improve your mood, health and increase the endorpines in your system.

• Create meaningful relationships. Professor Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist explains “Good relationships don’t just protect our bodies; they also protects our brains”. Loneliness can be very damaging to our health and happiness.

• Another study shows that meditation can be very helpful for mental health. It changes the way the brain reacts to stress and can increase the baseline level of happiness.

If you would like to know more check out the TEDx talk by Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness. Remember that happiness can be practiced and the more you do it the better you’ll be at it.