For those who are traveling long distances to spend the holidays with far-flung relatives, this time of the year can get a bit hectic as travel plans are finalized and people scramble to get shopping done before the trip. Because so many are descending on our nation’s airports, there are bound to be injuries related to the strain of hauling a suitcase.
To prevent such occurrences, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has compiled a series of tips focused on helping travelers over the coming months. The organization is concerned that people may be arriving at their destinations with back pains they may not have planned on packing. With the Consumer Product Safety Commission noting that nearly 54,000 injuries related to luggage occurred last year alone, citizens with travel plans in the offing would do well to heed the AAOS’s wisdom.
If your luggage is 20 years old, with a frayed handle, no wheels, or a wheel that’s all but disintegrated over years of wear and tear, it may be time to invest in a new unit. Choose a suitcase that’s lightweight, can easily be hoisted up via a handle, and that has four wheels in good repair.
Once your actual unit is selected, you should turn your attention to packing properly. Too many people attempt to shove as much as possible into their luggage. This is problematic, especially if you’re carrying Christmas gifts or you have your own received gifts to bring back on your way home. Use multiple checked bags to minimize weight, and even consider packing an additional piece of luggage if you know you’ll be bringing more back with you than what you left with.
Lifting a piece of luggage into an overhead storage bin is tricky, as most planes don’t offer you much room to navigate. Try to do things in stages to take the pressure off of yourself. Bend down and hoist the suitcase onto the seat first. With that motion complete, bend your knees with your hands on either side of the luggage and then lift straight up, positioning the luggage so that the wheels face inward.
Rather than struggling with a suitcase that refuses to fit properly, take a deep breath and bring the luggage back onto the seat to shift its angle. Otherwise, you risk twisting your back to the left or right as you try to force the luggage into the space. A flight attendant can help you if things get particularly difficult.
Finally, if you’re forced to take a flight of stairs at any point, it’s best to lift the luggage rather than dragging it behind you, as this can take a toll on your arms and back as you pull while leaning backward to take the weight on each step.
By heeding these precautions, you can avoid the type of herniations that would necessitate a microdiscectomy and the ensuing microdiscectomy rehab that would follow.