A comfortable journey is a basic need for every traveler. Traveling with back pain certainly does not qualify as a comfortable journey, especially when you are on a flight or road trip where you are bound to sit for painful long hours.
Thankfully, there are some things you can do and find relief.
Stay hydrated
One of the causes of back pain is dehydration. Less water around the discs of your vertebrae causes back pain. So, sip water at regular intervals while traveling. It is a natural cure for back pain.
If you have not left for your journey yet
- Keep a cushion handy
If your back feels more relaxed with a cushioned backrest, keep one in your travel bag.
- Carry pain-relieving balms
Balms are very effective in relieving back pain. Carry one when you are traveling.
- Download Yoga Nidra
Download, especially if you plan to fly. This non-sleep deep rest will help you feel better.
Do this spinal twist
- Hold the right seat handle with both hands. Take a deep breath and slowly twist to your right side as your exhale. Remember to keep your back straight and stretch tall. Do not lean back or forward.
- Inhale and return to the center.
- Exhale and repeat the stretch on the left side. Hold the left seat handle with both hands.
- Breathing in, return to the center.
Practice Kati Mudra
Did you know there is a mudra especially created to relieve back pain? Kati Mudra or Back Mudra is a hand posture that can be practiced anytime and anywhere. It helps relieve both acute and chronic back pain. It involves both hands. You will also feel mentally elevated when you practice it. You can practice it for 35 minutes at a stretch or for 10 to 12 minutes thrice daily.
How to do Back Mudra
- Sit in any comfortable seating posture and place the hands with palms pointing upwards on the thighs or the knees.
- Sit cross-legged if possible.
- Close your eyes and take some deep breaths with the awareness of the breathing process.
- The finger arrangement in this mudra is different for both hands.
- For your right hand, fold your small and middle fingers and tap their tips to the tip of the thumb. The rest of the two fingers should be kept extended as much as possible.
- For your left hand, fold your index finger and thumb and tap the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb. The rest of the three fingers should be kept extended as much as possible.
- Practice this arrangement with both hands simultaneously.
- Do not decrease or increase the speed of breath from your side.
Keep moving
Sitting for an extended period increases back pain. When you are on a flight, take regular breaks to walk inside the plane. When you are on a road trip, take breaks to get down from the car, walk around at your break spots, and stretch.
Listen to Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation that gives deep relaxation to the body as you focus on different body parts. You can listen to it with your earphones plugged in while you sit and fly or sit in a car to travel. Don’t listen to it while driving.
Written by: Vanditaa Kothari
Based on inputs by Pooja Venugopal, Faculty, Sri Sri Yoga
