Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Tips on How to Reduce Back Pain When Traveling

By: Marcia Fayt, Back Pain Specialist, Yoga Teacher

It is a beautiful sunny morning in June, and I’m on a trip with my husband. The local time in Paris is 7:00 am and we’ve been flying all night, cramped in uncomfortable airplane seats. However, when I stand up I actually feel pretty good! It is going to be ten busy days of travel; while my husband is on business in Paris, I will be going to visit a dear friend in Wales via London for a couple of days then meet back up with my husband in Paris for a packed schedule of sightseeing. I disembarked the plane feeling quite refreshed and looking forward to the adventures that lay ahead, reminding myself of the benefits of pain-free travel due to my yoga practices.

My regular clients enjoy pain-free travel as well. But what I hear from first-time clients suffering from back pain is quite the opposite; in fact they confide in me that the plane, train or automobile ride can be a nightmare. They arrive at their destination feeling tired and irritable, as they have endured hours of sitting with shooting pain down their legs and hips. Looking ahead to a demanding schedule of business meetings or family outings can often feel overwhelming with questions racing from what if my back goes out, to will there be places to sit and rest along the way.

As a result, the most common question I’m asked is, "What can I do to have a pain free trip?" Here are a few tips to get you started:

Do your yoga stretches regularly, including a couple weeks prior to travel, and get out for walks.
On the day you travel set the alarm clock for 20 to 25 minutes earlier than you would normally rise. This allows you to have a warm shower and then do your yoga stretches. I recommend mainly the yoga stretches from my DVD, The Floor Routine, and the hamstring from my DVD, The Wall Routine, so focus stays on relieving back tension. The priority should be on stretching the hamstrings, quads, hips and back. This way you will leave for your flight feeling limber, and your muscles will be ready to lift, carry luggage and sit for a long period of time.
When booking a seat ask for an upgrade with more leg room (a tip from a client).

Clients also ask what they should do when they are booked on a flight leaving later in the day. I still recommend doing your yoga stretch routine first thing in the morning, as your muscles will stay limber for about 24 hours, and help you enjoy a pain-free trip. What can also be helpful is doing the cross over leg from my DVD, The Chair Routine. This can add that extra boost to your day.

As with all the yoga stretches in my routines, these tips come from personal experiences. In the last two months, I have travelled to Paris, Calgary and California. Some of the flights left first thing in the morning, others in the evening and one in the afternoon. I did my stretches every morning that I travelled and I was fine no matter what time my flight left. I also took an outback canoe trip to Algonquin Park, and had no trouble loading the gear or paddling the canoe after a 4-hour car ride.

Schedules can be very hectic when travelling, so I do suggest doing some of my yoga stretches while you are on your trip. This is a wonderful way to regenerate and relieve any muscle pain in your back. If you can’t get to my DVD while on vacation, here is an easy-to-do yoga stretch to relax your back. It takes only about 5 minutes and can be very effective: Lie on the bed, with your legs up against the wall, (usually gently resting on the headboard of the bed). The hips are about a foot away from the headboard and the knees are slightly bent, with a pillow under your head for support, remembering to breathe and relax. This can be a quick way to regenerate and relieve tension from the lower back. If you have time, you can add on the hamstring stretch with a towel (my DVD Wall Routine), and a quad stretch (runners lunge from my DVD Floor Routine), and a hip opener (cross over leg also from my DVD Floor Routine) or one you may know. Bon Voyage!