How to travel without it being a pain in the neck or back

With the summer travel season upon us, families will be traveling by car, plane and train to fun destinations.  The last thing that you want when you are on vacation or traveling is to have a neck or back pain.   Some simple suggestions can help prevent vacation back and neck pain.If traveling by plane, using luggage with wheels is a must. But be careful when removing luggage from the car or luggage carousel as the luggage will most likely be heavy. Bend the knees when lifting or removing luggage. When on the plane, put something behind the lower back for support. This can be a folded up sweater, jacket or sweatshirt. This helps keep the lower back in its properly aligned position. Move the legs often to keep the blood circulating even if it is just stretching them out and flexing them. Also, take off your shoes for more comfort.  On longer flights, try and get up out of the seat to walk around once every 2 hours.When traveling by car for a long trip, the first thing that you want to do is make sure that the car seat is properly adjusted. You want to sit with support behind the lower back. Most newer cars have support built into the seat now. It it doesn't, add some support such as a small pillow or towel.  You should have a bend in both knees and not drive with the legs out too straight. So adjust the seat foward or back accordingly.  It the seat allows you to make adjustments, the front of the seat should be angled up slightly so the knees are higher than the hips. There should also be a slight recline in the seat back. It should not be up perfectly straight or reclined back too far. The head rest should be 2 inches from the back of the head. Also, use the cruise control when you can to take some of the tension and stress off of the leg while driving. It is also advisable to drive for no more than 2 hours before stopping to get out of the car for a short break to move around.When you get to your destination, the hotel/motel mattress and pillow should be looked at. If the mattress is not to your liking such as too hard or too soft, ask for another room if possible with a mattress that is better for you. If traveling by car, it is not a bad idea to take your own pillow from home with you. Just make sure that you remember to bring it home again.  If a hotel pillow is not to your liking, ask housekeeping for something that more suits your needs or have them bring you a few pillow to try, softer, firmer, smaller. I have heard of hotels that actually have a pillow menu where you can pick the type of pillow that you like best. I have seen many patients come back from vacation with neck pain from using a pillow that was not like theirs at home. By following some of these simple suggestions, hopefully you will not develop any back or neck pain as a result of traveling and being away from home.