For thousands of years, nomadic tribesmen, gypsies, barbarians, legionnaires, friars, and colonists traveled for thousands of miles to get to their destination. While some of these individuals do have a goal in mind, most travel because they can do so.
But as time went by, most demographics and cultures have settled down rather than traveling as a necessity. While people still do it, it’s because most people wanted to do it as a hobby and a form of leisure.
For a hobby, traveling has been a part of much of our culture. Whether it’s going to tropical getaways, steep snowy alps, classy sunny European tourist destinations, or hustling and bustling cities, there’s no end to what you can do when you’re traveling.
Why Does Posture Matter When We Travel?
Unless you’re moving to another country, getting on a plane, or hiking with a full set of equipment, you won’t necessarily have to bring too many things. However, when you’re traveling, it’s quite common to carry several types of equipment, including laptops, DSLR cameras, clothes, other electronic gadgets, emergency first aid equipment, and maybe something for self-defense.
Based on the safety guidelines and rules for international airline travel, most equipment will be around 40 to 50 pounds. If you think about it, 40 to 50 pounds is already a good fraction of your body weight that you will need to carry.
That can lead to an unnecessary amount of pressure and weight on your spine. While our spine’s vertebrae are composed of 33 bones that can support these types of load, heavyweight can put pressure on your shoulders with the weight’s force pulling you backward, which, in turn, can cause complications for the hips and arch your back. Besides, this can cause an unnatural compression of your spine.
The heavy use of specific backpacks can cause individuals to start leaning forward. As time goes by, the shoulders will become rounded, and the upper back becomes curved, which can give a hunched look to most people. This condition is usually called kyphosis. That leads to a lousy body figure that can be unsightly, which can also cause upper and lower back pain and strain in both neck and shoulder muscles.
Protecting Your Posture
Whether it’s a long road trip, a flight that will usually last a full day, or even a cross-country trip on a motorcycle, no one can deny that traveling long-distances for hours can cause problems.
Usually, problems with posture are caused by your body being used to the same position. Therefore, it’s best to take a step back and determine what you will be carrying during your travels.
Traveling Light
One of the best ways of not burdening your back is by traveling as light as possible. Of course, you’ll need to ensure that everything that you’re carrying is essential.
Not only will traveling light help lighten your load, but you also won’t have to worry too much about expensive fees that you most airlines charge for extra luggage.
Get Professional Help
If you’re traveling to other countries, you’ll need to rent out your vehicles and cars from point A to point B. But it’s still best to be driving defensively because car accidents can even occur. If that’s the case, you might want to check in with your car accident chiropractor as they are trained when it comes to these situations.
Reposition Yourself
Most of the time, you’ll be sitting or standing in the same position for hours. If this is the case, you’ll need to reposition your body to ensure that your back muscles and your spine won’t stiffen up. If required, you can always get out of your seat, get some fresh air, or do some stretches for a few minutes every half an hour. Staying in the same position for hours can reduce the flow of blood and cause a tingling sensation on your nerves.
Long hours of traveling can sometimes mean that you’ll have less legroom, so you might need to look for more creative ways of ensuring that your muscles are stretched.
When you’re traveling, it’s best to be mindful of your posture. Kyphosis can cause long-term back pain and put a lot of pressure on your back, especially when you’re someone who has to haul a lot of weight when traveling. No worries, a chiropractic adjustment will set your posture straight, especially after long hours of travel.
Ultimately, you don’t have to worry too much about what you’re carrying; as long as they are necessary and won’t burden you too much, you’re clear.
