Travel tips from Pivot

Travel tips from Pivot

Lots of our patients fly for work and vacation.  Here are some useful tips for successful travel.

When I was a little girl I loved flying so much that I wanted to become a flight attendant when I grew up.  Well, a ballet dancer first and then a flight attendant. Now that I have grown up I discovered along the way that there are lots of amazing jobs that involve travel and I became a physiotherapist with a special interest treating dancers and athletes.  So much so that I have flown around the globe taking care of them.   I know how important it is to move on a flight to avoid back ache, cramping or worse.   

Here are my top ten physiotherapy tips for improved physical comfort while flying.  

1.     Drink at least a quarter litre of water for every hour of flying.  The altitude and low humidity of recirculated air are dehydrating. 2.     Get up and walk around. Drinking water will ensure you have to use the lavatory which will give you a great opportunity to get up and walk.

3.     Wear compression socks! Your feet and ankles will swell with the pressure equalization. Compression socks get the fluid back up your system, so it doesn’t pool in your feet.

4.     Pump your ankles.  Pointing and flexing the ankles pumps circulation in the calves which helps reduce swelling and potential for deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

5.     Bring a sweater you can roll up and put behind your lower back.  This will give you better lumbar support to help maintain good alignment of your spine when you are sitting.

6.     Stretch your neck long in the seat by drawing your chin in towards your neck like a little neck sit up to elongate the back of your neck

7.     Shrug your shoulders, then bring them as far forward as you can and back as far as you can, as though you’re trying to squeeze an orange between your shoulder blades.  Finally roll them in circles.

8.     Engage your lower abdominal muscles in sitting by contracting your pelvic floor muscles while exhaling as though you are pulling your sitting bones closer together.

9.     Seated spinal twist will rotate your thoracic spine and introduce you to your flight neighbour at the same time. Try to rotate your whole upper body to twist your shoulders perpendicular to your hips.

10.  Bring a protein filled snack to avoid sugar crashes and running to the airport shop for overpriced candy snacks.  

Happy travels!

The Pivot team