In an article with The New York Times, experts including Jesse N. Charnoff, MD, physiatrist at HSS share ways to make your commute more enjoyable. 

Commuting can be mentally taxing, but sitting in traffic can cause pain and stiffness, too, said Dr. Charnoff. When he drives to work, he often places a small rolled-up towel behind his lower back for lumbar support.

If he’s stopped at a light (or stuck in standstill traffic), he’ll stretch by squeezing his shoulder blades together or rolling both shoulders, which alleviates tension and helps to counteract slouching.

If you’re sitting on a bus or in the subway, Dr. Charnoff added, flex your feet up and down 10 times to combat stiffness.

And if you’re looking at your phone while you’re sitting on a train or a bus, try to hold it in front of your face at eye level so you’re not hunching or gazing down, which can strain your back and neck.

Dr. Charnoff often treats patients who don’t consider how the way they sit during their commute can lead to or worsen back pain, he said. So try, as much as you’re able, to get into ergonomically friendly positions during your commute, he said, and move frequently if you can.

Read the full article at nytimes.com.