Summer is a time of fun in the sun and exciting vacations and road trips! As a person with Cerebral Palsy, I’m always looking for new ways to keep my body and muscles loose on vacation without the normal convinence of being at home. Here are a few tips to keep your muscles loose on vacation!
Stride
I have trouble with keeping my calf muscles loose, so it is important for me to find ways to keep my calf muscles loose on vacation. Stride is a quick, easy, and safe way to stretch your calf muscles no matter where you are! I recommend standing in your walker, or if you are in a wheelchair have your companion stand you up. Then simply put one leg in front of the other, and lean forward bending your front knee. This will help stretch your calf muscles in a safe and quick way! Make sure to stretch both of your calf muscles!
Twisting
As I detailed in a previous post, twisting is a great way to stretch your shoulders and back out! When traveling, you obviously want to avoid laying on the hotel room floor infested with God knows what (ew!), so you can simply modify it for laying in bed. One tip for doing it in bed is to hold each side longer, because it will take longer for your shoulder muscles to realign on the soft bed mattress versus the harder floor. I highly recommend this when you get to the hotel after a long car or plane ride!
Modified Wall Stretch
In a previous post I detailed how to do a wall stretch to loosen your shoulder and lat muscles. This same stretch can absolutely be modified to do during a car ride! Simply just put your hands on the ceiling of the car while you are sitting in the car, then just lean forward! The farther you lean forward, the more intense stretch you will get!
Walking
Walking is one of the best ways to stay loose on vacation! Even if you use a wheelchair for long distances like I do, you can walk in the hotel where it is climate controlled. Another positive about walking in the hotel is that you can stop whenever you get tired, versus trying to walk around a whole zoo or other attraction. It is important not to overtaxx your muscles and body when you are on vacation, so don’t hesitate to use your wheelchair for attractions that require a lot of walking! Also, make sure you take walking breaks if you go on a long road trip. I recommend stopping every two hours or so to get out and walk. This will help prevent you from getting tight from sitting in the car!
Heating pads
Laying on a heating pad for ten minutes in the morning will help your back loosen up. After a long car ride and mattresses that you are not used to, your back will feel tighter sometimes on vacation. Laying on a heating pad is an easy way to loosen up your back muscles. I recommend starting your day with this, so your back will be nice and loose for the day! You can purchase heating pads at most any store such as Wal-Mart.
Hopefully these easy to do tips will help you with your next trip! I know they have definitely helped me stay loose on vacation, so I can have an enjoyable time with my family!
Fitness on Wheels 