Travel tips for this December



03.12.21



By Free Motion Physiotherapy





Everyone is excited to get away for a well-deserved break over the December period. We don’t want you to arrive at your destination and not feel up to doing the hike you had planned or struggle to walk comfortably along the beach.


Long drives in any car lead to us being slouched either behind the wheel or in the passenger seats, which can place strain on our backs and necks.


While a vehicle is in motion your body is subject to different forces such as accelerations and decelerations, lateral swaying from side to side, and to full body vibrations.


Make sure you do a few of these simple exercises to stay loose and hopefully feel your best while you recharge.



Stay Comfortable on the road:



1. Adjust your back rest – Sit all the way back into your seat so that your back is in full contact with the seat.


2. Slide the seat – Your seat should be close enough that your knees have a slight bend in them when pushing on the pedals.


3. Adjust the steering wheel – Ensuring you are able to hold the steering wheel without your back and shoulders leaving your seat is essential for comfort as the driver. There should be a slight bend in your elbows.


4. Additional lumbar support – If you are feeling discomfort or straining in the low back, you can place a pillow or rolled up towel behind the lower back to provide some extra support.


5. Use cruise control – When possible, use cruise control, it allows you to place your feet on the floor with your knees at 90 degrees. This helps stabilise and support the lower back.



Exercises you can do (best done when not driving #safetyfirst)



1. Shoulder Rolls



This can be done in standing or sitting. Roll your shoulders backward in a circular motion, keeping your arms relaxed. Complete 10 backward rolls of this exercise to loosen the shoulder muscles.



2. Thoracic rotations



This is a simple yet effective stretch for regaining mobility and loosening off the thoracic spine.


Sit nice and tall with your feet flat on the floor and knees close together. Then cross your arms across your chest and simply rotate your torso left to right. Try to rotate as far as you can with each repetition and keep breathing normally (don’t hold your breath). Rotate 5 times to each side.



3. Roll Downs



This movement is ideal to get the lower back moving and a great way to lengthen the hamstring muscles as well.


Stand with your feet hip width apart and your knees soft. Tuck your chin to your chest roll forwards slowly.


Once you reach the bottom, hold for 2 seconds and slowly come back up to standing. Complete 5 repetitions of this.



4. Dynamic movements- Squats/ Lunges



Squats: Stand straight with your feet hip width apart. Slowly lower into a squat by sitting back so that your knees stay above your toes. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor. Do not let your knees turn in or out. You should not feel pain, but rather your legs and Gluteal muscles working. Do 5 squats.


Lunges: Stand comfortably with your feet hip width apart. Step forward into a lunge keeping the alignment of your knee and not letting it fall inwards. Do 5 lunges with each leg



5. Glut Stretch



Sit on the tip of your chair. Place your foot on the opposite knee. Sit up straight and lean forward until you feel a stretch in the gluteal/hip area. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat twice on each side.



Your body might be feeling tight and stiff after a long drive, a few days of travel, an easy flight or even a new and different bed while away. Try to do these movements and stretches daily to avoid unnecessary discomfort and enjoy a pain-free and relaxing holiday.



Contact us!



For any enquiries, please feel free to contact us.

Phone: +27(87) 702 7850

Email: info@freemotionphysio.co.za

Website: www.freemotionphysio.co.za



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