part0014

When you enter your car or exit your car do it with a straight back. You don’t want to squeeze yourself in or try to get in or out at odd angles. The right way to get into your car is to place your right hand on the hood of the car and your left on the door. Move your body into the car at a fifteen-degree angle so as to mimic the angle of the seat. Once your head clears the lip, gradually move your feet into the car, plant them firmly on the ground, and close the door.

Once this is completed, make sure that you fasten your seat belt and adjust your mirrors. Make sure that your entire body is aligned with the operations specs of the car for optimal vision and comfort. Also, make sure you can comfortably reach the gas and brake pedals while seeing clearly in every possible direction.

The seat should be positioned close enough to the steering wheel for the driver to be able to reach both the gas and brake. When you sit on the driver’s seat, your prime concern should be comfort and a position that is apt from the safety point of view. Pull the seat forward or push it back according to the length of your legs every time you get into a new car. Adjust the mirrors as per your convenience, so you have an eye over things at the back of your car too.

Fastening your seat belt is not only the law, but it is a good way to ensure that your body stays in a fixed but movable position. When you wear your seat belt, the belt allows you to move around in the chair but also allows you to keep a standard posture. If you don’t wear your seat belt, you’ll begin to lean to one side or lean forward in your seat. This is not a desirable position.

When you’re on long trips, get out of the car every few hours to stretch and loosen up your muscles. Just like sitting at work or standing, as we discussed previously, the same applies when you’re riding in a car. You don’t want to be sitting in the same position for hours on end. Not only will your muscles begin to ache, but your concentration will begin to waver.

As a co-passenger, it is advisable to carry a neck pillow with you while on drives. There will be times when you will want a nap, especially on a long drive and a neck pillow will only make it easy for you to rest while in a sitting position, without hurting your neck.

As a passenger in the car, it is your job to keep the driver awake. To do this, you need to be comfortable as well. When sitting in the passenger seat of the car, make sure that your knees are bent, not stretched out. If you’re short in stature, you may need to bring along a small box or something that can be placed on the floor to rest your feet upon.

Make sure that you plan your trip before you go. Make sure to travel roads that are smooth and that do not jar the car, causing unwanted pressure or strain on your back. Watch traffic conditions to ensure that you’re not sitting in traffic jams for hours on end.

In today’s culture, everyone’s constantly plugged into some device, be it a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Sedentary lifestyles inevitably result in clocking thousands of hours with our bodies resembling a human question mark—our heads jutting forward, our shoulders rounding, and our stomachs getting closer to our knees.

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Evidence suggests that massage is one of the most promising drug-free and surgery-free methods for treating low back pain.

After receiving one massage a week for ten weeks, one out of three patients with chronic low back pain improved and were pain-free, compared to one out of twenty-five patients who were given the “usual care.” Usual care applies to any doctor-recommended treatment, including painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, or physical therapy. The massage ultimately helped the study participants with low back pain even after six months, allowing them to remain active and productive.

A small Polish study featuring twenty-six patients indicated that deep tissue massage is “statistically” more beneficial at treating low back pain as compared with therapeutic massage, although “further research is needed to verify the results,” the researchers noted in their 2012 Studies in Health Technology and Informatics article.

The results showed that participants with low back pain who received deep tissue massage experienced significantly more relief than the group who received therapeutic massage.

Breaking chronic pain’s vicious cycle of pain and muscle spasms is not an easy task. The cycle goes like this: pain causes muscle tension, which leads to decreased circulation and range of motion, all of which increase pain. This brings about even more tension, and even less circulation, inducing more pain, and the cycle continues.

The body’s natural reaction to any contracted area with poor circulation is to lay down connective tissue (also known as collagen fibers, the building blocks of scar tissue). Despite the healing nature of this process, the body inevitably “glues” the muscles and their connective tissue coverings into a shortened state. This tightness can leave you feeling stiff, restricted, tired, and sore.

These tight muscles can often develop trigger points, which are hyperirritable spots that refer to pain and tingling to other places in the body. These trigger points can press on nerves, causing numbness and tingling, and even more pain.

A 2007 randomized study by the Touch Research Institute evaluated the effects of massage therapy versus relaxation therapy on chronic low back pain. Treatment effects were evaluated for reducing pain, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, for improving trunk range of motion, and for reducing job absenteeism and increasing job productivity.

After a thirty-minute massage twice a week for five weeks, the study participants in the massage therapy group reported experiencing less pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and improved range of motion.

In summary, getting a massage at least twice a week can yield positive results for low back pain sufferers and improve their overall quality of life.