(HealthScoutNews) -- Long hours of travel, whether by car or plane, can be brutal on your back.

The Canadian Chiropractic Association suggests some ways to prevent and relieve the physical stress of traveling:

If you're in a car:

• Stop every hour or so, get out of the car and stretch. Work your arms, ankles, and torso, and take a short walk.
• If you can't stop, stretch in your seat. Tighten your calf muscles, hold for three counts, and release. Do the same for your thigh muscles. Roll your shoulders backward and forward a few times. Keep a loose grip on the steering wheel. Clenching it too tightly will tire your hands, wrists and arms.

If you're in a plane:

• Every now and then, get out of your seat and walk down the aisle.
• While sitting, tense and release the muscles in your legs and buttocks. Roll your shoulders backward and forward, and wiggle your fingers and toes.
• When you put your luggage in the overhead bin, stand out in the aisle so you don't have to twist your back to get the bag over your head and into the compartment.

-- Felicity Stone

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