How to survive a long haul:Physio advice for road trips and flights
Summer is a busy time of year for visiting friends, family abroad, and road-tripping across our beautiful province. Being sedentary for several hours in an often cramped and uncomfortable space can have its downfalls especially when it comes to neck and low back pain. Here are a few ways that you can mitigate the risk of feeling stiff and sore after your trip!
Before: If possible, select an aisle seat- this will give you a bit more room to extend your legs and stretch out. Purchasing a neck pillow is a relatively inexpensive investment to prevent neck and shoulder stiffness especially when dozing off to sleep in sitting. Adding a small cushion or even a folded towel to your seat for lumbar support can prevent strain on your low back from slouching. Compression socks are a good option for those with poor circulation as feet swelling can occur as a result of pressure changes and inactivity during the flight. If you are driving, adjust your rearview mirror so that your neck can stay in a neutral position- you shouldn’t have to extend your head up. Before boarding, walk and move! – you will have more than enough time to relax on your flight. Stretch muscles that tend to tighten during prolonged sitting – hip flexors, hamstrings and calves.
During: Take a standing/stretch break every 30 mins-1hour if possible. If you are confined to your seat, simple movements such as rolling your shoulders back, tipping your head side to side and flexing/arching your back prevent muscle tension. Keeping your feet moving with toe tapping or ankle circles to improve circulation and prevent lower limb swelling.
After: Take this opportunity to walk versus taking the escalator or moving walkway, your body is craving movement! Many of us are tired at the end of a long trip which can lead to injury when being careless lifting baggage out of the car, overhead plane storage or carousel. Don’t forget to bend through the hips and knees (rather than rounding through the back), engage your abdominals and lift through the legs.
Have a great trip!
Charlene Copeland, MPT, CAFCI, NKT®, Clinical Pilates
About twice a month our therapists will be posting answers to commonly asked questions. So, if you have a burning question that you want answered let us know in the comments below.
We can cover anything ranging from active rehabilitation, to injury prevention.
This week our featured therapist is Charlene Copeland. To learn more about Charlene check out our PhysioWorks team.
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