Back in Action, Not in Pain: Your July 4th Travel Survival Guide from a Spine Surgeon

www.nynjspine.com
With a record 70+ million Americans expected to travel this Fourth of July, by plane, train, or car, your back could use a little independence of its own. Whether it’s a cross-country road trip or a quick holiday flight, hours in cramped seats can wreak havoc on your spine.

Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, NYC board-certified spine surgeon and founder of The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care, shares smart, posture-saving strategies to help you avoid travel-related back pain, so you can focus on the fireworks, not your lower back.

Key Talking Points Dr. O Can Cover:

1.     The “90-Minute Rule”: Why sitting for more than 90 minutes (especially on flights and road trips) compresses spinal discs—and how micro-movements can help.

2.     Airplane Aches: How to use a rolled-up sweater or neck pillow for lumbar support in coach.

3.     Driving Smart: Ideal seat angles, steering wheel placement, and the “wallet trap” that causes one-sided lower back strain.

4.     Train Travel Tips: Why forward-facing is best—and how to adjust seats that weren’t designed with posture in mind.

5.     Luggage Lifting: The 3 mistakes people make when lifting suitcases (including the one move that mimics a herniated disc scenario).

6.     Commuter Core Exercises: Simple seated movements or stretches to keep the back mobile on the go.

7.     Ergonomic Travel Gear: What kind of luggage, back braces, and travel accessories are spine-safe and which to skip.

About: Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo

NYC Area Orthopedic and Spinal Surgeon

https://nynjspine.com

Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD, FAAOS, leads The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care, with offices in the New York Metropolitan area, as a spinal and orthopedic surgeon for 20 years.  Board-certified and fellowship-trained, Dr. Okubadejo specializes in treating degenerative spinal disease, spinal deformity, and cervical, lumbar, and thoracic conditions.

Dr. Okubadejo earned his undergraduate degree at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and his medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. He completed his internship and orthopedic surgery residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Okubadejo completed a spinal surgery fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh.

Dr. Okubadejo is a published research author and has presented his findings at several major spinal conferences around the globe. While a surgical resident, he won the Leonard Marmor Surgical Arthritis Foundation Resident Award for the best research project.

In 2017, Dr. Okubadejo formed the company 360 Dynamized Core, which is focused on creating innovative, spine-safe core fitness products and routines. The first patented product, 360

CoreBoard was launched in the market in 2020. Find out more at 360coreboard.com

Dr. Okubadejo believes in the power of preventive care, minimally invasive surgical procedures, open communication with patients, and personalized care.