GROUPON GUIDE TO LAS VEGAS

How to Spend All Day at the Slots and Only Feel It in Your Wallet

BY: Kate Raftery |Jul 16, 2015
How to Spend All Day at the Slots and Only Feel It in Your Wallet

The dim lighting and lack of windows and clocks at Las Vegas casinos make it difficult to know how much time has passed, while their garish decor, looping music, and pumped-in oxygen offset mental fatigue. With so many psychological tricks up their sleeves, it’s surprising these casinos don’t do more for gamblers’ physical comfort. After all, a Las Vegas chiropractor wouldn’t call many of the chairs on casino floors healthy for backs.

Fortunately, there are a few things gamblers can do to extend their playing time and avoid back pain in the process.

Switch positions frequently.

Some casino chairs are ergonomically designed to support spines, which helps keep players in their seats. But plenty of others are straight-backed, barstool-style chairs that leave bodies aching within hours.

The former is the obvious choice. When seated in a chair with a supportive back, you should plant both feet on the ground and sit so the natural curves of your spine rest against the seatback. If your lower back still isn’t completely supported, insert a small pillow between you and the chair. You should definitely use a pillow if you’re sitting in a straight-backed chair, too. And if you have to sit on a barstool, use the footrests rather than dangling your feet.

You may be on vacation, but you can use a manner common at desk jobs across the country—alternate between sitting and standing up.

Standing forces your muscles to work to maintain your balance; active muscles make it easier to have better posture. Whether you’re standing or sitting at the slot machine, try to position your head upright and keep your spine’s natural S curve intact. Slumping or hunching can compress the disks and cause inflammation.

Treat yo' self.

Hard-core gamblers and Las Vegas vacationers planning on doing a lot of relaxing (i.e., sitting) may want to invest in one or more of the following:

Orthopedic cushions are designed to reduce pressure on the body while sitting. Some relieve the burden on the coccyx and pelvis, whereas others support the lumbar region of the spine for pain relief. Bring them along to throw on a seat in the casino, the plane, the car, and even the pool deck.

Professional intervention can mean the difference between a full day of carousing and gambling and several hours spent flat on your back in the hotel suite. Chiropractic treatments include adjustments to correct spinal misalignment and massages to relieve tension in the muscles and fascia. Personal trainers can design workouts that aim to strengthen back-supporting muscles. Practitioners at medical offices and hospitals in Las Vegas can offer more solutions if your back pain is severe.