5 Ways to Reduce Flight Pain
Anyone who’s ever spent much time on an airplane will probably agree that the seats, being designed primarily for safety, are anything but comfortable. If you’re one of the lucky few who rides in First Class, it’s a different story, but for the masses huddled back in the coach section, it’s likely to be a long, uncomfortable ride…even on a short flight.
So what can the weary traveler do to lessen the pain and be able to leave the flight with approximately the same posture as when he or she boarded it? Here are a few tips to take with you to the airport the next time you travel, so with any luck, you’ll be able to avoid the pain in the back…and neck…and legs…and feet…that seems to go hand-in-hand with airline travel.
1. Use a small pillow behind your lower back.
You may not have noticed, but airplane seats are concave, meaning there’s no back support at all. Your whole spine, in fact, is forced into a forward curve, which just adds to the potential for pain. Putting a small pillow or a rolled-up airplane blanket behind your lower back will help alleviate this.
2. Use a neck pillow.
You’ve probably seen them for sale in airport shops, and for good reason. That curved seat design which makes you sit curved forward also forces your head unnaturally forward, and a neck pillow will take some of the pressure off your neck. This may also help you to prevent headaches.
3. Keep your feet propped up.
Easier said than done while sitting in coach, but it’s possible. You probably brought a small carry-on with you, and, thinking that you want all the foot space you can get, threw it straight into the overhead bin. If your bag is too tall to fit under the seat, that’s your only option, but if it’s small enough to fit under and you have room left over to put your feet on top of it, then you can use your bag as a footrest.
4. Walk around periodically.
Granted, there’s not much room to do so, and you’ll probably be dodging snack carts and flight attendants, but if you can, take a stroll around the cabin and stretch your legs. Keeping stretched out will go a long way toward helping solve your back pain problems.
5. Take your shoes off.
Okay, if you have a tendency toward aromatic feet, you may want to skip this step, but if not, removing your shoes will help keep the blood flowing. Depending on the length of the flight, your feet will swell, but by taking your shoes off, you give them room to do so. At the end of the flight, you’ll find your shoes may be a little tighter, but that should soon go away. Just remember to put your shoes on if you have to go to the lavatory – don’t give into the temptation to go in your sock feet. Trust me on this one.
