The school holidays are nearly here and for many the airport calls to whisk them away to sunnier climes (not sure it can get much sunnier than the UK has been!). If you are one of these people who is taking to the air to reach your holiday destination this summer, our chiropractors at Newcastle Chiropractic Clinic have put together some advice for you to help keep your back safe.

Holidays are a great break away from our everyday lives and stresses, however, this is also the time when we are out of our usual routine and doing things we wouldn’t normally do, like lifting heavy cases, which can be the very time we hurt ourselves.

Here is the advice our chiropractors have put together for back safe flying this summer:

Packing and prepping:

• Choose the lightest case you can find which also has wheels that enables you to push the case in front of you.
• Pack as light as you can. We’re all guilty of packing the extra pair of shoes or two but think of that extra weight!
• Make sure you can easily identify your case. Picking it out on the carousel from the hundreds of other cases will prevent you from having to lift off lots of other cases to check if they’re yours.
• Have a good night’s sleep before heading off to the airport.

Avoid Trolleys & Travelators:

• Avoid using luggage trolleys if possible. Wonky wheels make it difficult to control trolleys and can put a lot of pressure on your back.
• It’s tempting to hop on a travelator and let it do the moving but when you get off your flight you want to move your body as much as possible to prevent stiffness.

On the flight:

• Do some simple exercises to prevent stiffness. Try some shoulder shrugs, buttock clenches and foot circles in your seat.
• Take a walk if it’s convenient to get up out of your seat and walk around the aisle.

On the other side:

• Walking is the best way to get some movement into your body and prevent stiffness.

Follow our chiropractors’ advice and happy flying this summer.