Fitness expert Caitlin Reid, a physical therapist and Pilates consultant, shares her tips on how to help work out all those kinks and sore muscles that come from sitting for so many hours during long flights.
Long haul flights leave you feeling stiff, sore and tight, so why not try these 5 easy Pilates exercises to stop the cramps and keep you limber from departure to arrival.
Shoulder Blade Release
A familiar soreness that starts between the shoulder blades and becomes a strong, stinging pain can be agony on a plane flight, but you can stop it!
- Sit up tall in your seat.
- Gently tuck your tailbone so your lower back isn’t curving.
- Bring your chin back so it’s not poking over your chest.
- Pull you shoulder blades together at the back and hold for 5 seconds.
- Take a big breathe in, then gently release your shoulder blades.
In this exercise, you’re activating slow twitch muscles, so you want to gently hold the contraction, then gently release it rather than pumping the muscles. Not only does this create beautiful posture, but it also keep your upper back pain at bay, and ensured your thoracic spine and shoulders are in a well-aligned position.
Core Strength in Your Seat
Low back pain is the second most common reason Americans see a Dr, and it almost always worsens on a plane trip. Instead of popping those pain pills, activate the muscles that stabilise your lower spine to take the pressure off the sore spots.
- Gently slide your hips forward a fraction so you can rock your hips forward and backward, arching your back, then tucking it under.
- Place your feet flat on the floor.
- With a gentle breathe in, tuck your tailbone underneath you and lift your pelvic floor, bringing your pubic bone toward you.
- Breathe out and slowly slide your right foot along the floor under the seat in front.
- Breathe in and bring it back toward you.
- Breathe out and slide the left foot away and repeat 10 times.
This one should be tricky! To keep your deep core activated and your pelvic floor lifted while you slide your foot away is a challenge, but what better time to practice than a long haul flight?
Sciatic Stretch
A niggly pain that shoots down the back of your leg is irritation of the sciatic nerve, and it’s a common complaint on plane trips. This exercise is an easy way to get the nerve sliding in its sheath so your pain subsides.
- You’ll need to take a walk to the bulkhead for this one, so hop out of your plane seat and stroll to any standing space you can find.
- Standing up tall, with a hand on something nearby in case of urbulence, point the toe of your right leg as you stretch it out in front of you until you feel a gentle pull.
- Flex the foot at the top of the stretch, and gently lower it to the ground.
- Repeat 5 times on each side.
Try not to mix up the directions! Don’t flex on the way up as it puts too much stress on the nerve which can cause more irritation.
Neck Relaxation
Pesky head rests and overstuffed pillows can make your neck cramp and stiffen during a plane flight, so keep it moving. Make sure you’re gentle though – the vertebrae in your neck are so delicate, you don’t want to strain them!
- Sit up tall in your seat.
- Sit on both hands and gentle bring one ear to your shoulder and hold for five, then repeat on the other side.
- There’s no need to pull with your hands, this stretch is plenty strong enough.
Now this is a weird one, but it’s the only way to move the top two vertebrae in your neck, which often stiffen and cause headaches.
- Sitting up tall, hold your hands in a prayer position underneath your chin.
- Gently make a double chin without looking down.
- Your chin should go straight back over your fingers, so use your hands to guide it.
- Gently hold the double chin for 2, and relax.
- Repeat ten times, every hour if you get headaches easily.
Spinal Twist
Keeping your spine moving smoothly is the best way to stay mobile during a plane trip. While you can’t lie down and do a luscious lumber spine twist, you can ensure your middle and upper spine is moving nicely, stopping stiffness and cramps.
- Sit up tall in your seat.
- Cross your arms across your chest
- Take a breath in to fill your lungs
- Do three gentle breaths out as you rotate to the right, using each breath out to propel you around further each time.
- Breathe in at the centre again
- Do the same three breaths as your rotate to the left three times, each time rotating slightly more.
- Repeat five times on each side.
Pilates in transit incorporates core strength with spinal mobility to keep you feeling loose and bendy for your plane trip. These handy little exercises also help fight pains brought on by sitting for long periods, so try them on your next trip or during a long day at your desk.
