How to Avoid Back Pain from Flying

Do you have a plane to catch this summer? Vacation traveling can take quite a toll on the body, especially if you have a flight that’s longer than a few hours. But if you know how to avoid back pain from flying and what stretches work well for long flights, you can look ahead to feeling relaxed and ready once you touch down.

How to Avoid Back Pain from Flying

Even if you upgrade to a higher class, taking a flight can leave you feeling stiff and sore. But you can avoid back pain from flying if you’re smart about stretching and moving around periodically. There are several stretches you can perform from your seat, making them great for staying limber on long flights. You’ll of course want to be conscious of your neighbor and try not to disturb them—especially if they finally managed to get to sleep after binging a few episodes of a TV show.

Sitting for a long time can really affect your lower back, so you can target this with stretches like planting your feet and rotating at the waist. But don’t just focus on upper and lower back stretches. Crossing your legs by pulling your ankle up over the opposite knee works your hip flexors, which are also put under stress when you’re sedentary for a long time. You can also keep your neck loose with some simple rolls and side stretches.

But even when you make time for stretches—which you should about every 20-30 minutes—you can still wind up with back pain on long flights. The recommendation is that you get up and move around a little bit every two to three hours. This will help you avoid back pain from flying and lower your risk of suffering a blood clot.

Prevent Back Pain from Flying with Williamsburg Chiropractic

If there’s a long flight in your future, a visit to Williamsburg Chiropractic should be on your pre-trip itinerary. We know how to help you avoid back pain from flying—a chiropractic adjustment that helps restore function in your spine and nervous system so that you can feel more relaxed when you strap into your seat. Better yet? It may even help you get some much-needed sleep in the process. Schedule your next appointment and visit us in Brooklyn, NY, before you start packing your bags.