Car drivers preparing to go on a long journey with the upcoming Eid al-Adha, listen to the experts. Stating that traveling stationary for hours causes back and neck pain, experts recommend taking breaks at short intervals. You can stretch your neck, back and leg muscles with a few simple exercises.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr. Aydın Ender Süzer warns drivers who will travel intercity before the Eid al-Adha holiday. Stating that staying in traffic for a long time can cause back and neck pain, Süzer said that immobility in muscles and joints during any kind of journey can negatively affect the whole body.
Dr. Aydın Ender Süzer pointed out that the increase in the duration of the journey increases the pain and negatively affects the health of the waist and neck, and emphasized that in order to avoid this situation, it is necessary to stay in the correct posture (posture).
Attention to lack of movement
Stating that lack of movement can cause pain and stiffness in the joints and weakness in the lower back and abdominal muscles, Dr. Aydın Ender Süzer gave the following advice to those who are going on a long journey:
"When we sit on the sofa for a long time, pressure on the spine may occur due to the bad position of the body. To protect our back and neck health, it is appropriate to maintain the correct posture and do light exercises. If our head and shoulders are more forward than our waist while sitting, it can cause low back pain.
Long journeys increase pain
Fixed posture on long trips also puts pressure on the spine. Traveling for hours, sitting in a narrow or uncomfortable position puts pressure on the spine. These pressures increase back, lower back and neck pain. Back and neck pain can be prevented by moving every 30 minutes while traveling, changing the fixed position and accelerating blood circulation in the body.
15 minutes break every 2 hours!
To reduce back pain while driving, it is necessary to stop and walk or rest for a while every hour. While driving, stabilizing the speed to reduce the load on the lower back also helps to have a comfortable journey. A lumbar pillow in the car is helpful as a support for long journeys. Especially those who suffer from neck, lower back and back pain may be uncomfortable when driving for long periods of time. It is recommended that drivers take a 15-minute break every 2 hours on long journeys. You can stretch your neck, back and leg muscles with a few simple exercises after getting out of your car during breaks:
Neck Exercises: In an upright position, place your right hand under your buttocks and support the back of your head with your left hand. Turn your chin to the right while tilting your head forward and to the left. Wait for 15 seconds at the point where you feel the stretch in the back and side muscle groups of your neck. Repeat this movement 10 times in both directions.
Shoulder Exercises: Sit upright, circularly move both shoulders backwards at the same time, then do the same movement forward (shoulder roll). Repeat this movement 10 times. With your arm 90 degrees in front of you, grasp one hand at the elbow and pull it to the other shoulder. Hold it tense for 10 seconds and then relax it. Do the same with the other arm. It will be enough to do 5 times for each side.
Exercises for Stretching Feet and Legs: Sit upright. Rise on your heels, wait 10 seconds and relax. Now rise on your toes, wait 10 seconds and relax. It is enough to repeat this movement 10 times. With one hand on your waist, extend the same leg straight, put all your weight on your heel and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times and don't forget to repeat the movement for the other leg.
Follow these tips for spinal health
Recommendations for everyday life to prevent spinal diseases:
- Exercise regularly. As the strength of your neck, back, lower back and abdominal muscles increases, the load on your spine decreases.
- Review your working environment and sit in an ergonomic chair with lumbar support.
- Always sit upright when working at a desk; using tablets, laptops and cell phones in an inappropriate posture can damage your spine. Avoid bending over the computer/tablet.
- Do not be sedentary, less movement weakens the muscles around the spine. Do not stay in the same position for a long time.
- Get rid of excess weight, even try to be at your ideal weight.
- Smoking destroys the structure of the discs, smokers are prone to spinal diseases, avoid smoking.
- Make sure to keep your spine warm at all times, do not go out into the cold after sweating. Do not stand in front of the air conditioner, avoid constant wind from car windows.