Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
We're discussing healthy travel this week on Healthwatch. When traveling by car, some drivers like to avoid stopping as much as possible in order to make it to their destinations in a certain amount of time. But, there are good health reasons for making frequent rest stops.
Dr. Erwin Thal, a surgeon at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says car accidents are the most common cause of bladder injury in the United States. If a person has a full bladder and is in a car accident, the seatbelt could cause the bladder to rupture. This can be avoided by making bathroom stops as needed and wearing the seatbelt across the hips.
Also, getting out of the car to walk around and stretch your legs frequently can help prevent dangerous blood clots.
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June 2005
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