Summer is THE TIME to travel – who doesn’t love the feeling of adventure?

What most of us (yours truly included) don’t enjoy is the aftermath of sitting in the vehicle for several hours on end – on our back end, at that.

During the summer SO MANY of my private clients come in with complains like this,

I drove to Jasper this weekend, and now my back {leg, hip, shoulder} is absolutely killing me!

that I thought it is about time we’ve addressed the driving issues in writing, and right in time for the long weekend!

Here are some tips on how to get to your destination without feeling extra – extra – extra yucky!

1. Change the orientation of your car seat every so often so you aren’t sitting in the same position for 7-8 hours on end. Use the built – in lumbar support or utilize one of the after market props (BackJoy is my go to item) to help you find a better sitting position. I also travel with my yoga therapy balls  – and pop one periodically against my back or under one leg whenever things feel fatigued.

2. Periodically squeeze your gluts and point your toes: when driving, our feet are usually stuck in a slightly flexed position. To prevent the ankles from stiffening around that position, point your toes frequently – either while stopped or when using cruise control. Also, squeeze your gluts often – seated position jams femurs into the fronts of hip sockets, and squeezing helps to reset that.

3. Try to organize yourself as symmetrically as you can – both hands on the wheel, both legs extended in front of you.

4. Use the steering wheel to keep your shoulders and upper back organized and stable: nine o’clock and three o’clock is no joke – it is actually the best grip for your shoulders also.

5. Stop frequently and mobilize. This one doesn’t need any explanation.

6. One of the most important things for surviving long bouts of sitting – car rides and plane flights – is to mobilize  for at least 10 – 15 minutes once you’ve made it to your destination. I know, this could very much be the last thing on your mind… Still, prioritize your mobility {even if you get in late!}  and you will feel soooooo much better. Think about it like this: if you go to bed stiff, you are going to wake up feeling even worse!

Enjoy traveling!