An Equinox yoga instructor shares the best moves to loosen up after a long flight.
Nothing puts a damper on your vacation excitement quite like the stiff back and achy hips that develop during the long-haul flight to your destination.
These symptoms are bound to happen. “Airplane seats are the worst,” says Allison English, a yoga instructor at Equinox Lincoln Park. “They aren't really made for anyone's anatomy. Whether you are tall or short, they compress the spine in a very rounded shape and often push the head to strange angles for hours. All of this can lead to lower back muscle discomfort, neck spasms, and shoulder crunchiness.”
The way you’re forced to hold your body during a flight isn’t the only cause of aches and pains. “Being on planes dehydrates tissue, which has implications for tissue glide,” English explains. “When our tissues don’t have enough water they tend to ‘gum up’ and stick together, causing tightness, pain, trigger points, lethargy, and less-than-stellar muscle performance for workouts after flying.”
If any of that sounds familiar, don’t fret. Try these simple in-air hacks and post-flight yoga postures to help ease the crunchiness and general discomfort that comes with flying.
RELATED: Do More With: Yoga Block
How to Curb Post-Flight Pain While in the Air
While there isn’t much in your control while you’re in the air, English emphasizes there are some steps you can take to minimize post-flight pain before you land.
First, stay on top of your hydration. “Adding electrolyte tablets to water is helpful,” says English. “I have clients who travel a lot via planes each week, and they sometimes use IV therapy to rehydrate after flights.”
You can also use carry-on-approved massage tools. “I carry my Yoga Tune Up balls with me everywhere I go, including on the airplane,” she says. “I travel globally to teach yoga, and those sets of myofascial release balls have been my lifesaver. I place the balls behind my upper and lower back and rock around while sitting in my seat.”
Additionally, English does gentle twists while in her seat, she says. “I love twisting in my seat by grabbing each handrest and slowly rotating towards it for five breaths [on] each side,” she says. “To help support leg circulation, definitely get up and move as much as you are able. But when you are seat-bound, practice pointing and flexing your feet and circle your ankles. If you get up to walk toward the back galley of the plane, pause and press your hands against a wall and stretch your calf out by reaching a leg behind you.”
The Best Stretches and Yoga Poses for Post-Flight Stiffness
“After getting off a plane, try to do some lunge positions to open the front hips. Reclined twists help release the lower back, and chest openers help with the shoulders,” English says. “I love anjaneyasana (low lunge), bhujangasana (cobra pose), and supta matsyendrasana (reclined spinal twist).”
For cultivating balance, English suggests performing vrksasana (tree pose) while breathing in and out to the same count (e.g., five seconds in, five seconds out). “Feel free to lean this tree pose against a wall in your hotel to be super-supported post-flight,” she says. “You could do each of these for five to eight breaths on each side.”
You can also try a standing chest opener at the wall, with one arm reaching behind and your head tilted slightly away from the wall, to open up the neck, shoulders, and upper back. “Alternating this chest opener at the wall, you could also play with some simple shoulder blade rolls with five to ten repetitions in each direction to wake up your upper back,” says English.
You can these poses on your own after your flight, or you can go to a yoga class at a local Club the next day, says English. “You may also find you need more myofascial release immediately after your flight and then a regular yoga practice the day after you land,” she adds. “If there’s not an Equinox Club near you, use the classes on the EQX+ app — [it has] great options!”