This month our practitioners have provided some great tips on how to have a happy, healthy holiday! What things to pay attention to when traveling by plane, car and foot. This advice will help your traveling and sight seeing feel more energised, comfortable and pain-free.
PLANE TRAVEL
1. Take regular stretch breaks: Whenever the seatbelt sign is turned off and it’s safe to do so, take short walks up and down the aisle or perform simple stretches to relieve tension in your muscles.
2. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the flight to stay hydrated. This helps prevent muscle stiffness and jet lag and supports healthy blood circulation.
3. Avoid crossing your legs: Crossing your legs can restrict blood circulation and lead to poor posture. Instead, keep your feet flat on the floor or do simple exercises like ankle circles, shoulder rolls, and neck stretches to keep your muscles active during the flight. Ask for a copy of our plane exercises at Reception.
4. Strategically schedule your flight: Think about type of schedule that will be the least stressful – limit downtime between in flight connections or stay-overs
5. Tube shaped pillows to provide support for lower back pain
6. Ask the air steward to help store a small gel cold pack in the fridge so you can use cold pack on the plane, if in pain.
7. Breathing exercises to help relax muscles and mind, like box breathing technique.
CAR TRAVEL
Try to break every 1.5 – 2 hours and stretch your limbs and spine. More frequently, if you are suffering with pain. Take a small cushion to support your lower back and maintain a better lumbar curve. When a car seat has an integrated lumbar support, still use a small rolled-up towel in the lower spine. Entertaining children on a long drive is difficult. Rather than opting for long periods of time with them looking down or hunched over a screen…. get creative! Try young kids games like “I spy” or “First one to spot”. Put on some cheesy tunes and get wiggling and jiggling with your body, arms and legs to the music. Children’s bodies and brains aren’t designed to be static – so move, have some family chat and fun. Leave the digital entertainment to the latter end of the journey.