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Neck or Back Pain When Flying?

After two years of road trips and staycations, people are returning back to the sky. Air travel gets you where you want to go, but standing in long security lines or sitting for hours on a plane can leave you feeling stiff and sore. Luckily, there are some easy strategies you can use to help ease some of the discomfort of travel, even if you aren’t upgrading to that extra leg room.

4 Exercises While on a Plane

  • Chin Tuck: Slowly draw your head back into a chin tuck so that your ears line up with your shoulders then return back to neutral position. Repeat 10 times
  • Thoracic Twist: Cross your arms over your chest. Slowly rotate your upper body to the right then to the left. Repeat 10 times
  • Scapular Squeezes: Pinch your shoulder blades back and together then return back to neutral position. Repeat 10 times
  • Heel raises: Place both feet flat on the floor then rise up onto your toes. Repeat 10 times

4 Exercises For Layovers

  • Take a 5-10 minute walk around the airport
  • Standing repeated extension: Place your hands on the small of your back, lean your trunk backwards then return back to neutral position. Repeat 10 times.
  • Seated piriformis stretch: Sit toward the front of a chair, cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Keep your back straight as you gently lean forward until a stretch is felt along the outside of your hip. Hold for 30 seconds then switch sides. 
  • Seated hamstring stretch: Sit toward the front of a chair, place one leg straight out in front of you with toes pulled back. Keep your back straight as you gently lean forward until a stretch is felt along the back of your leg. Hold for 30 seconds then switch sides.

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