Subtle Stretching The Next-Best Thing To Yoga On The Plane

Have you ever stood up after a long plane, train or car ride and felt stiff, sore or tight?

Holding a static position for an extended period can be uncomfortable. Although you aren’t going to be able to do yoga in a coach class seat, there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself for the sprint to your connecting flight or baggage claim.

The suggestions below are probably most effective if used 10 to 15 minutes before arriving at your destination. In the air, the pilot will usually make an initial descent announcement 15 to 20 minutes before landing. That’s your clue to start stretching in a plane. In a car or bus, gauge by the remaining miles to your stop.

Depending on whether you are in a car, bus or plane, the seats can range dramatically in height, affecting your neck alignment differently depending on your height. Get your cervical spine back to neutral by first tipping your head to the right side as you look straight ahead. To intensify this stretch, focus on pushing your left shoulder toward the floor. You should feel the stretch down the side of your neck. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Now, roll your head through the front 180 degrees of a circle to get to the left side. Again, press your right shoulder down while you hold the stretch. Roll through the front half of the circle again. But do not roll your head to the back. This movement places your cervical spine in a compromised, hyperextended position.

To relax and stretch your lower and middle back, cross your right leg over your left. Take your left arm and extend it down the outside of your right leg. Apply pressure with your left arm and elbow to the outside of your leg and rotate your body toward the left side. You should feel this stretch in your middle and lower back, as well as in your glutes. Repeat on the other side and be sure to uncross and recross your legs. If you have a chronic spinal injury or aggravation, be careful and ease into the rotation. As you rotate, try to elongate your spine and lift and lengthen out the top of your head. Visualize creating space between each vertebrae.

Finally, as you stand up and wait in the aisle to leave the plane, step forward onto your right foot and contract your glutes while pressing your hips slightly forward. Now switch to the left side. This will help lengthen and relax your hip flexors after a chronically seated position.

These stretches are subtle and won’t infringe on the space of your neighbor. Give it a try and you’ll be surprised at the relaxed but energized feeling you’ll have among the impatience and stress so often associated with traveling.

xxxx