Outdoor living, some people love it, others aren’t so fond. For us, we love a bit of the outdoor lifestyle, whether we’re going for a run, a trip to the beach or especially, camping.
Camping can be great for you. Catching up on some vitamin D (if you’re lucky), sleeping under the stars, and grabbing all that fresh air you can get is amazing. It can be a really refreshing experience that can leave you simply, happy.
Camp happy, camp pain free
As good as camping is however, it doesn’t come without its issues. Some of these are part of the charm, such as dodging rain showers, cooking on a tiny hob or even putting the tent up. However one big problem with camping isn’t a laughing matter and can be avoided, this problem is back pain.
As a leading London Chiropractor we see a lot of our clients head off on weekend trips to the country and lot of them will go camping. How often have you gone away feeling fresh and come back aching all over, barely able to move? As a busy London chiropractor we urge you to take care whilst you’re on a trip.
What is the main risk to your neck back and shoulders?
So how do we end up in a bit of pain after a camping trip? There are few main problems that cause any back, neck or shoulder pain;
- Long distance driving
- Sleeping on the ground (stones below, not lying straight, not protecting your back on the ground)
- Heavy lifting (carrying the equipment mainly)
- Messing around (playing football, running around, any activities you get up to)
How to avoid the pain
As said above, there are all manner of things that could be giving you a bad back on your trip. Luckily, we as a leading London Chiropractor have some simple advice for you;
Sleeping – Protect your back when you go to bed. This means clearing the ground beneath you before putting the tent up, making sure there are no stones or sticks lying underneath. You will also need to avoid lying directly on the floor, a simple mat can do the job for you or if you’re lucky, a blow up bed. Make sure you take a pillow to give your head enough support when you’re sleeping as well.
Heavy lifting – Lifting incorrectly is one of the most common causes of back pain, so make sure you take care when doing so. Remember to spread the weight of all your gear which will reduce the strain on your back when lifting or carrying. It’s also important to remember basic lifting rules, avoid carrying over your head, list with the legs and avoid twisting.
Messing around – Just take it easy, make sure you stretch afterwards and listen to your body, if its telling you to stop, you should stop.
Long distance driving – Make sure you have the correct posture in the car, sit up straight and face forward. Take plenty of rests and stretch out your body when you do stop.