Cramped seat? Long-haul flight? An Achy back? Here’s what to do about it.
You know what really makes a ride on a cramped, stuffy plane that much better? Back pain. Perfectly searing back pain that won’t quit. (I hope you’re catching my sarcasm.) We’ve all experienced it, and we all hate it. According to Alpesh A. Patel, MD, a practicing spine surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, no one is immune.
“When people are sitting, the discs of the lower back will see three to five times more force than when people are standing,” he says. “That’s why sitting for a long period of time just creates a lot more pressure on your lower back.”
Luckily, Patel has a lot of helpful advice for preventing and avoiding back pain on flights. Here’s what he suggests.
Pick an Aisle Seat
Are you an aisle or window seater? We all have our preferences. “It’s like picking an ice cream flavor,” Patel says. “Everyone is unique.” But if you want the best chance of battling back pain on your flight, snag an aisle seat. It’s the lowest barrier to getting up and moving around, Patel says. And you also won’t have to feel bad or rely on someone else if you need to ask a fellow passenger to get out of your way so you can walk around the plane.
Don’t Carry Too Much Weight
We know, we know. Airlines are charging an arm, a leg, and half your bank account to check bags right now. But you might consider sacrificing that arm or leg to check a bag because the amount you carry around could mess with your back. If your backpack is too heavy or your carry-on forces you to lean forward as you pull it, that’s going to contort our spine and put you in some pain before you even get on the flight. So, try to pack light or check a bag.
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Create a Pre-Flight Routine
Patel says that he has a pre-flight routine before every flight he gets on. Twenty minutes to a half-hour before boarding, he gets up to walk around. Then he goes through a back stretch exercise of runner’s lunges, hip openers, and back twists. It helps ensure he’s “as loose as I can be with my lower back, hamstrings, and hips,” which helps prevent back pain once you’re on the plane.
Track Your Time
If you’re anything like me, flight time is the time to sit back and watch movie after movie after movie and never ever be able to fall asleep. It’s “relaxing,” right? Not really. Don’t get so caught up in your movies that you sit for hours without moving. Be sure you’re tracking your sitting time and get up to walk around at least once an hour.
Try a Cushion or Pillow
When I get on a long-haul flight, I make a little nest with pillows. I sit on one, put one behind my lower back, and hold another to have something soft to rest my arms on. If you think it might help, try a cushion or pillow. Patel is quick to note, though, that “there’s no science to it.” Picking the right one is trial and error, so “don’t invest too much into the first one you try,” he says.
Carry Painkillers
A little extra Advil or Tylenol certainly won’t hurt. Try taking some before you get on your flight, and if you’re already on the plane and your back starts to hurt, take some more. Keep a little container in your carry-on all the time so you never have to worry about packing it.
Use Hand Warmers
HotHands hand warmers are TSA approved and a quick solution if you develop back pain while on a flight. Just crack them up until they’re warm, and set them on your back like a heating pad. If you prefer cool over heat for your pain, you can also carry Instant Cold Packs.
Get Up and Walk Around
Ultimately, Patel says, the best way to avoid back problems on a plane is to get up and walk around. “Back pain has to do more with sitting and inactivity than anything else that comes along with air travel,” he says. “And that starts the minute you get to the airport.” So, stand up and walk before your flight, walk and stretch as much as you can in the plane, and just make sure you’re moving. If the seatbelt sign is on and you can’t get up, try to reposition yourself in your seat—whether that’s your sitting position or how much you recline.