Reducing The Discomfort Of Your Daily Driving Commute To Work

Ann Arbor Chiropractor Mike Tannenbaum, D.C. blog post: Reducing The Discomfort Of Your Daily Driving Commute To Work

Many of my patients come to my chiropractic office complaining of back pain caused by their driving commute to work. I have no doubt that their commute is making their back hurt and also I have no doubt that their day to day commute is bad for their backs. Here are some suggestions I make to my patients at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office to reduce the discomfort and possible damage that comes from their daily driving commute.

1. Make sure you are comfortable sitting/being in the car during your commute. This is paramount. So, arrange your seat, your mirrors and any support pillows you use so that you are relaxed and comfortable while driving.

2. Make sure you don't have your wallet or anything else in your back pocket. Items in the back pocket can act as a wedge possibly putting your spine out of alignment.

3. Sit as close to the steering wheel as possible, with out compromising safety, as this reduces your chance of straining your back.

4. Sit up straight with your knees slightly higher than your hips. Also, make sure your chin is pulled in enough so that your ears are above your shoulders. A way to help sit up straight while driving is to make sure you have your rear view mirror angled in such away that you have to sit up straight to effectively use the mirror (of course do this only to such an extent that you aren't compromising safety). Some of these suggested posture techniques can be made more effective by using a back support pillow in the car.

5. Like stretching before and after exercising, it's good to stretch before and after driving to work. Stretching can reduce the tension your back and neck muscles experience during your commute.

Also, as most of us know, driving can be tension inducing, especially for your neck and upper back muscles, so consider shrugging your shoulders when when your are at a red light.

6. If at all possible get out of the car every 30 minuets to walk around and stretch. This will help maintain blood flow through your muscles and joints, reducing muscle and joint pain.

Finally, regular chiropractic care works to maintain the health of one's spine. At Tannenbaum Chiropractic in Ann Arbor we regularly see people with low, mid and upper back pain, headaches and tingling and numbness in the arms and legs that result from, at least in part, a regular driving commute. At Tannenbaum Chiropractic we work to make sure that our patient's spines are in proper alignment, reducing the negative health consequences of their daily driving commute.


 


 

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