Often when we travel we end up sitting for hours on planes and buses, though this can result in a bad posture which can cause quite serious problems.

It’s important to maintain proper posture even when we’re traveling, but this isn’t always the easiest, especially when you’re crammed into an economy seat and you’re trying to contort your body to any type of comfortable position.

The most common side effects of bad posture include back pain, neck pain, and spinal problems, and if you have bad posture in your life generally, these issues can become exacerbated when you travel. So one of the easiest ways to reduce the chances of this pain is by frequently using a posture corrector.

If you find you experience back or neck pain when you’re flying, introducing a posture corrector to your everyday life can make your next trip a lot more comfortable. Here are some of the benefits of using posture correctors before you travel.

The Benefits of Using a Posture Corrector Before You Travel

It Helps in Reducing Back Pain

Incorrect posture is the main cause of back pain, so simply correcting it can often make a world of difference.

A posture corrector is basically a brace you wear around your arms and covers back that helps to keep your spine straight while you’re wearing it. They hold your shoulders back and stabilize your collarbone, and keep your muscles all aligned properly.

Wearing a brace prevents the spine from becoming fixed in abnormal positions, and this is what causes you pain. While you might become used to bad posture in everyday life, when you have to sit for prolonged hours, like on a bus, or a long haul flight, that’s when you’ll really start to notice the pain.

If you find that you often round your shoulders and hunch, you might consider using a posture brace for 15 – 30 minutes a day. This will pull your muscles back into the natural position and mean that when it comes to a flight, you can sit comfortably for the whole time.

Prevents Breathing Issues

Bad posture can have many long term side effects, though one impact it has is on your breathing. Hunched posture often causes the muscles around the chest to tighten, and this means your rib cage has less room to expand, so you start taking more rapid, shallow breaths.

People with poor posture often report tightness in their chest, and they might feel suffocated and chocked when traveling to countries in high altitude, or not be able to fully participate in really active adventures. But posture braces can address this issue.

Working on straightening your spine back to its natural position means you reinforce deep breathing patterns, which enhances core stability, helps improve tolerance to high-intensity exercise, and reduces the risk of muscle fatigue and injury.

If there’s one thing you don’t need when you’re traveling it’s breathing issues, especially as hospital visits abroad usually end up being quite costly.

Helps Improve Your Physical Appearance

Let’s be honest, no-one has ever accused Disney’s hunch-back of being too handsome. And while this may seem like a shallow reason to use a back brace, physical appearance instills self confidence, which is highly important to your mental health.

Being able to stand up straight improves your appearance, and means you can actually be proud of the photographs you’re snapping overseas. You want to be enjoying your holiday, not hiding away in your hotel room because you’re embarrassed by your posture.

Many countries also see standing up straight as a sign of respect, so if you’re looking to make a good impression while traveling in places like Germany, Sweden or China, slouching has the potential to be seen as poor manners, and highly rude.

Helps in Relieving Back Injury

If you’ve recently found yourself with a minor back injury, you might not have to cancel your trip just yet. Posture correctors can often help in relieving this pain, and put you on track for healing more quickly.

It’s very important to consult your actual doctor / physician though, and you need to follow what they suggest. A posture corrector can work wonders and provide very quick results, but they don’t replace actual the medical treatment.

Helps Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of enjoying a trip overseas; you need to be well rested if you’re going to enjoy a full day of adventure, but people who suffer from back pain often feel uncomfortable when put into a flat position for sleeping.

In correcting your spine to its natural position, posture braces provide proper support, and reduce the pain that you feel when you lie down to sleep. You might find that after a couple of days of wearing a posture corrector, you manage to sleep much more comfortably.

Considerations When Buying a Posture Corrector

There are many different considerations to make when buying a posture corrector, and there are many out there on the market, so the biggest key is doing your research to find one that’s right for you.

Things like buying the right size are really important, because getting this wrong can actually do more damage than good when it comes to correcting your spine.

You should also choose breathable material so that you can easily wear it all day and feel comfortable. The whole point is making you feel more comfortable, so it shouldn’t be a painful exercise to wear it.

Also do research into the different features that you want like, for instance magnetic braces exist which generate a magnetic field for improving blood flow, healing injury and staying healthy.

There are many options out there, but it always comes down to your personal situation, because everyone’s health and posture is different.

When to Wear a Posture Brace

Whenever you are sitting for long periods of time is a good time to wear a posture brace. This could be when you’re at the office, binge watching TV, or just reading. Or even when you’re actually on your flight.

You can wear most of them under your clothes, so even if you’re in public you can wear it without anybody realizing. While it’s not recommended that you wear them during strenuous physical activity, if you’re just walking around then it’s fine.

If you feel you’ve improved your posture enough by incorporating a brace into your daily life that you can go without it when you go to actually travel, that’s fantastic! If you do want to incorporate it into your travel, try to wear it when you’re least active.

Decompressing in front of the TV at the end of the night is a good time to wear it, or if you’re heading out for a long dinner reservation. You can also wear it if you’re walking on the beach, but just steer clear of involved physical activity which requires a full range of flexible movement.

FURTHER READING ON GENERAL WELL-BEING ↓

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.