Business Travel & Lower Back Pain: How Traveling Affects Your Spine’s Health
Read Time: 7 minutes As exciting as business travel can be, there are some headaches. And some backaches. Company travel has a negative impact on spinal health.
The Backbone Of Business Travel
Despite technology making connection easier, business trips are an important part of business growth. Companies agree as business travel continues to trend upwards. Yet frequent business travel can take a toll on the body, especially the spine. Here are some parts of business travel affecting the spine’s health.
A Spine Full Of Baggage
Businesspeople often lug around heavy pieces of luggage. Constant lifting of bags up flights of stairs, off carousels and into overhead bins can impact spinal health. Improper lifting technique or carrying loads on one side only creates muscular, lower back and spinal problems. One recent study showed lifting on the job is one of the main causes of herniated discs.
Sacrificing sleep
Travelers also lose a significant degree in the quality of sleep. According to a survey for business travelers, people have reduced sleep on the road versus home. Sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on spinal health. Sleeping allows the spine to decompress and is necessary for recovery. Add the fact some accommodations provide less than comfortable beds, sleep during travel create longterm back issues.
Sitting for hours
Although some trips are short, imagine sitting on a less than comfortable seat for several hours. Spending extended time seated on a flight compresses the spine. In fact, a study showed changes in spinal discs after just 4 hours of sitting over 2 days. For frequent flyers, taking a stretch on the plane is a good idea. Many frequent travelers make chiropractic care the backbone of their travel routines.
A stressful spine
Long waits in line, running to the gate for a connection, and even language barriers all cause stress. There is no end to the problems business travelers face. With challenges come stress. Stress also is a leading cause of vertebral subluxations. Subluxations are small shifts or dislocations of the vertebrae which can bring on pain and other related diseases.
Make spinal health your business
Business travel is an exciting and essential part of the job. However, the experience can also be a pain in the spine. The factors working against travelers accelerates degenerative spinal diseases, creating even more injuries. Make spinal health a priority. Speak with a chiropractic specialist for a helpful assessment, treatment, and a plan to stay healthy for upcoming work trips.