Holiday Travel Tips from a Sports Chiropractor

‍

There is so much excitement this time of year with the holidays. With that excitement comes a lot of travel, parties, and activities, making it difficult to stick to a normal health and wellness routine. Here are some tips to modify your routine this season so you don't abandon all the hard work you put in all year long! 

Preparing for a Long Travel Day

Regardless of if you are flying or driving, it’s best to get a workout in before you leave. Getting your day started with a workout will help prepare your body for a long day of travel. 

If you’re traveling by car, you should stop every few hours to take a break. Walking around, jumping jacks, stretching by touching your toes, stretching your quads, and spinal twisting, will all help your body reset and get the blood flowing.

If you’re traveling by air, try to get up every 1-2 hours to walk around. Being seated in a static position for prolonged periods of time isn’t good for your body. Short walks around the cabin can make a big difference.

Tools to Pack

There are several options for tools to pack with you on your trip, depending on how much space you have. Here are some of our favorites: 

Foam Roller

Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique that you can do at home. It is used to relieve muscle tightness, soreness, and inflammation, as well as increase your joint range of motion. Use the foam roller at least once a day to loosen up your tissues, which can help reduce pain and tightness. 

Tennis and Lacrosse Balls

Tennis and lacrosse balls are extremely useful at targeting tight spots that a foam roller cannot reach. Tennis balls are softer than lacrosse balls, which are dense and firm. Therefore, it’s wise to have both types of balls on hand to treat areas with different tightness and pain levels. It’s easy to incorporate this self-myofascial release while sitting on a plane or in the car. 

Massage Guns

Massage guns are another relatively new self-myofascial release tool that uses vibration therapy to massage and loosens tight muscles. Massage guns provide percussion massage to relieve tension and stiffness. If you have room to pack one of these, we highly recommend it, especially after a long day of travel. 

For more info on these tools check out our article Things You Can Do at Home to Enhance your Chiropractic Care.

Workouts on the Go  

It’s always difficult to get workouts in while traveling, however, simplifying your routine into something manageable will help keep you active and enjoying your vacation. If you can get a day pass to a local gym or use the hotel gym, that’s always the best choice. If not, body weight exercises, stretching, and utilizing resistance bands are great options to modify your workouts. 

Here is what we recommend for no-equipment-needed workouts:

• 5 core exercises 
• 9 mobility, stability, and strength exercises
• 12 bodyweight exercises
• Go for daily walks, a hike, play flag football or any activity that gets your cardio in 

In addition to these tips and tools, remember to not abandon the basics; stay hydrated, keep up with your supplements and vitamins, and keep a clean diet. 

Book your appointment today to get adjusted before your holiday travel!