The back is undoubtedly the area of our anatomy that suffers the most after a trip. Not only because of the hours we spend sitting (which we are more than used to), but also because of the lack of space that limits our movements to the maximum and forces us to adopt postures incompatible with our anatomical health. "When we have to sit for many hours during a trip, it is common for certain parts of the body to suffer the consequences. It is important to be aware of our posture, correctly supporting the back on the backrest and keeping the feet on the floor. If our flexibility and the space in the vehicle allow it, we can alternate crossing our legs in a meditation position on the seat, avoiding crossing them when the feet are on the floor," explains Verónica González, Gyrokinesis instructor, a training method that combines elements of yoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming, and tai chi to improve mobility, strength, and body flexibility.
To try to optimize our posture, González invites us to "pay attention to our breathing, feeling how, with each inhalation through the nose, we fill our torso from the lower abdomen, both from the front and the back, expanding the lumbar area, up to the clavicular area, which will also expand raising the chest, and also the lungs, which open laterally and at the back. This expansion of air within the trunk allows us to have a more upright posture and a more relaxed musculature, helping us to prevent the body weight from going downwards."
She also emphasizes, "it is important to try not to raise the shoulders when inhaling and, when exhaling, preferably through the nose, try to maintain the posture and not let the torso fall."
González warns us that "the hips and lower back, being the center of the body where the weight falls, can suffer quite a bit during a prolonged trip." To relieve these discomforts, it is recommended to "perform hamstring stretches (back of the leg), leaning the body forward with legs extended to try to touch the feet and make gentle hip movements."
Furthermore, she continues, "we can take advantage to do chest openings and circular movements of shoulders and neck carefully, especially if you are the driver. Also, it is advisable not to forget to mobilize the ankles."
It is also highly recommended "to use a travel neck pillow, in case we are going to take a nap, as this way, we will avoid hurting our neck."
This specialist emphasizes that "if you suffer from circulation problems and fluid retention, it is very important to take a few minutes of rest and mobilization. For this, you can raise your legs from a lying position face up, move your ankles and drink water to keep the muscles and tissues hydrated, thus facilitating their elasticity and preventing the kidneys from being overloaded."
If traveling by car, it would be advisable to "stop every two hours, for about 10 minutes, to take a short walk or do some stretching."
Most likely, even if you follow this trainer's advice, you will arrive at your destination stiff and with back pain. To 'grease' our joints again and regain mobility (within everyone's possibilities, of course), Verónica González proposes a simple set of five exercises that we can carry out, also during the entire vacation. Have a good trip!