Column The Right Position to Adopt to Avoid a Back Injury When Camping or Sleeping Overnight in a Car
March 07, 2024
When it comes to traveling, some people stay in hotels or other accommodations, while others prefer to camp or sleep in their cars, which may often involve pain in the lower back.
In this article, we will discuss the correct sleeping position when camping or sleeping in a car, which is a frequent cause of back pain.
The causes for back pain when camping or sleeping overnight in a car
Back pain experienced after camping or sleeping in a car are often the result from fatigue from long hours of driving or hiking, or from improper sleeping posture.
Uneven tent floors or car interiors can also put strain on the back and lower back, resulting in pain.
In the event of sudden and severe temperature difference, such as during the cold season, back pain can also occur when the body temperature cools down.
Points to remember when camping or sleeping in a car
Keep the following points in mind when camping or staying in a car.
Dampen the uneven surface as much as possible
Many campsites are made of gravel and other uneven surfaces. If you lie down without a proper mat, you will feel pain not only in your back but also all over your body. The inside of a car may also remain uneven no matter how fully flat it looks.
In such cases, try to reduce the unevenness as much as possible by placing an outdoor mat or a mattress/bedding on the floor.
Take measures to keep your body warm
Even in summer, nights can get rather chilly. Especially when camping overnight, the chill felt from the cold ground can be problematic, so taking measures to protect yourself from the cold is a good idea.
Use floor mats to prevent your body from cooling down.
Prevent moisture and condensation from building inside the tent
Moisture and condensation accumulating inside the tent can be a difficult factor to avoid entirely. Especially during the chilly season, when temperatures may vary greatly, moisture and condensation can easily lead to back pain when sleeping bags and clothes get damp.
To prevent moisture and condensation, it is necessary to use mats or other similar items.
Without mats, the unpleasant phenomenon of sleeping bags, clothes, and luggage getting damp is hard to avoid altogether. This is where floor mats come into play. Since water remain trapped under the mat, it keeps your precious belongings from getting wet and out of water’s way.
How to sleep free from back pain when camping or sleeping in a car
Besides taking care of the above points when camping or sleeping in a car to create a good sleeping environment, an adequate sleeping posture is also a very important factor to prevent back pain.
Sleeping on the side
Sleeping in a sideway position decreases the risk of back pain because it makes it easier to maintain the natural curve of the spine. Sleeping with knees bent also helps to keep the hips in a neutral position, which is an effective way of preventing back pain.
Provide extra support for the lower back.
When sleeping, you can reinforce support in the lower back area by placing a cushion or blanket under the lower back. Using cushions of appropriate firmness and shape can prevent excessive curvature and stress on the lower back, lowering the risk of pain appearing.
If back pain occurs after all, it is also important to seek adequate treatment.
Once back pain has occured, it is difficult to recover completely unless the condition causing the back pain, such as degenerative disc disease or herniated disc, is cured altogether.
Our clinic offers the Celgell method, a treatment that repairs damaged intervertebral discs.
With our Celgell method, a special drug is injected inside the disc, which then turns into a gel and fills in the cracks, thus providing a fundamental treatment. It is also characterized by the fact that the volume of the disc is not reduced, and the drug remains in the disc as a gel-like implant after treatment, thus preserving the disc.
ILC also offers “specifialized back pain rehabilitation,” which not only enhances the effectiveness of the Celgell Method and its other treatments, but also addresses muscular back pain and other conditions, making the body less susceptible to back pain.
ILC’s Specialized Back Pain Rehabilitation
If you are suffering from back pain, please consider seeing us for a consultation.
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