Do These Stretches While Flying To Keep The Blood Flowing
You can do these while watching the in-flight entertainment provided
By Terri Kue -
If there is one aspect of travelling that we hate, it's long-haul flights. Sitting in an aeroplane seat for hours without much mobility isn’t exactly a lot of fun and it begins to tell on our body in the form of stiff limbs.
Sitting still for such a long time can have negative effects on your body as well. Blood clots can develop during long flights, causing pain and swelling – which can possibly lead to deep vein thrombosis that could be life-threatening.
The best way to prevent this is by moving about - which, on a plane more than 30,000km in the air, can seem hard to do. However, there are some stretches you can do on your long-haul flights that will keep the blood moving in your body.
Aching shoulders and neck are usually the first indicators of a stiff body. How many times have you sat at your desk only to feel these areas start to cramp?
There are a few exercises you can do. For one, shoulder rolls are your best friend. The key is to move your shoulders slowly and with purpose instead of just rolling them quickly. Rotate your shoulders forwards for a few seconds, making sure to try to have your shoulders meet your ears, before rotating them backwards. Really feel the stretch in your shoulder blades as you do so.
For the neck, slowly rotate it clockwise for a few seconds in big circles before doing the same counter-clockwise. Alternatively, tilt your head to the side and use the opposite hand to gently press down on your head. Hold the position for a few deep breaths before switching over.
Tip: neck pillows are always a great investment for flights. They will help improve your posture when you sleep upright (especially if you are the type who bends your head down when you snooze. We all know that waking up from that position is accompanied by an aching neck).
There are plenty of arm stretches that you can do on the plane without drawing too much attention, and thank god for that! To target your triceps, there’s an easy stretch to do that you’ve definitely done before. Firstly, move an arm so that you can touch the back of the neck. Use the opposite hand to grab just above the elbow and gently apply pressure on the arm. Hold the position for a few seconds and repeat with the other arm.
If you’ve been typing away at your laptop on the plane, it’s a good idea to give your wrists some love as well. Stretch both arms in front of you and start moving your wrists in circles. You can also try another exercise: with both arms still outstretched, take your right hand and grab your left hand’s fingers just above the palm. Then, use your right hand to pull against your left hand to stretch your fingers upwards. You will feel a pull in your wrist and upper forearm. Repeat on the right arm.
The legs are, arguably, the area of the body that becomes the stiffest during long-haul flights. Apart from trips to the toilet, they don’t get used much when we fly.
To combat the stiffness (and even the dreaded pins and needles), you can start with some mid-air ankle circles. All you have to do is lift your knee into the air and start circling your feet clockwise and counterclockwise. Remember to make the circles as big as possible to really stretch the muscles.
Another form of this exercise is toe circles. With only your toes on the ground, rotate your ankles one way and then the other, similar to how you’d warm up for a workout.
You can also do some foot flexes to keep the blood moving in your calves. Raise your legs all the way until only your toes are touching the floor. Then, slowly bring your feet down until it’s flat on the ground. You can then raise the front of your feet up until only your heels are touching the floor before bringing them back down again. G the cycle a few times.
Flexing your feet up and down in the air is also a great way to stretch out your muscles.
For your thighs, doing knee hugs - but sitting down- can do the trick. For this, we recommend taking your shoe off so you don’t accidentally dirty your seat. Pull one leg up so that your knee (or thigh) is against your chest. Hold and repeat on the other leg.
Going to the restroom is one of the few times you’ll be standing on the aeroplane, so it’s best to make use of your trip. While waiting for the cubicle to be free, you can raise your body up until you are on your toes before going back down. Do it a few times to really get the blood pumping and get your body moving.
This is also a good time to do a full-body stretch by folding your body in the middle. You can reach for the floor if you’d like or just rest your hands on your calves.
You can also work on the shoulders by doing cross-body stretches. Simply put one arm over your chest and use the other hand to pull it towards your body.
The best way to keep the blood flowing throughout your body is really to get up and take a walk. Of course, to do this, it is best that you have an aisle seat so that you can get up whenever you want. Just make sure that the cabin crew isn’t serving food and drinks - if not, you may find yourself stuck in the middle of the walkway waiting to get back to your seat.
If you have connecting flights, try to use the time in the airport to shake out any stiffness you may have accumulated. If you’re going to spend the next few hours sitting down again, you might as well get as much walking done as possible.