How to Minimize Discomfort during those Long Travel Times

After this holiday season, are you dreading your next trip? Whether you are scrunched up in a car or a plane, that travel can put a strain on your body, leading to pain or stiffness. There are ways to make sure that you aren’t the one who arrived at the destination hunched over in pain. We’ll give you some simple tips and exercises, so you can arrive, ready to explore!

Take breaks

Prolonged sitting in a cramped space will not have anyone feeling their best. If you are traveling by plane, make sure to get up every hour or so to walk the aisle. If you are in a car, don’t forget to pull off and stretch your legs for every 2 hours of the ride. 

You can even do some simple exercises while on the go. Jeff (one of our physical therapists) likes to call this “gas station or airplane yoga.”  

You can do standing trunk rotations, forward and backward bends. A cat cow stretch is another great option. While the cat-cow is typically done on the floor, you can also do it while standing with your hands placed on a surface such as the edge of your car or back galley of a plane. 

You can watch our video on how to do the cat-cow stretch here.

Dress comfortably

Wearing tight clothes for travel is a recipe for discomfort. You won’t be able to have a full range of motion, which will force you into a constrained position for hours at a time. So forgo those skinny jeans for a pair of leggings or sweatpants. For those who use a wallet in their back pocket, make sure to take it out for prolonged sitting! The wallet cocks your pelvis up on one side and causes too much pressure on the glutes or even the sciatic nerve.

Stretch After Travel

Taking breaks and moving around is only one part of the solution to those pains. It’s crucial to move those muscles after the journey to reduce muscle tension and increase blood circulation. 

Our most recent YouTube video demonstrates a sciatic nerve glide that you can do to move those tight legs after a few hours in a cramped plane. You can watch it here.

Massaging with a Foam Roller

If you have a foam roller available, then you can use it to massage those knots out in your legs, spine, and mid back. Foam rolling can also reduce soreness after long periods of inactivity during travel.

Calves

Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Place one extended leg on the foam roller, and then cross the other leg on top. Make sure the foam roller is under your calves and use your hands to lift your hips off the ground. Roll back and forth on your calves and make sure to shift your legs side to side to get the inner and outer calves. You can watch the video demonstration here.

Outer leg (Abductors/ IT band)

Lie on your side with the foam roller under your outer thigh. Use your arms and opposite leg to support your body as you roll from your hip to your knee. You can watch our video on abductor foam rolling here.

Mid back

Lie on your back with the foam roller placed horizontally, at the top of your shoulder blades. Place your hands underneath your head and lift your hips off the ground. Roll up and down from your upper back to your mid-back (basically the top to bottom of the rib area). You can shift your body to the left or the right to target certain areas. You can watch the video demonstration here.

Chest opener

Lie on back with the foam roller vertically along your spine (if you have the full length -36” foam roller) and let your arms rest to the sides. You will form a “T” shape with your arms and body. You can watch our video demonstrating this stretch here.

We have videos on our channel demonstrating each of these foam rolling techniques. 

THANK YOU FROM ANTI-FRAGILE PT!

We hope these tips help you feel more comfortable and confident in your body with your future travel plans.

Have any tips on staying comfortable during a long trip? Feel free to comment below!