Airplane Back Pain Survival Kit

If you have experienced back pain while traveling, you know it's not fun. Long hours cramped in airplane seats often lead to stiffness, soreness, and even lasting discomfort. For frequent flyers or anyone preparing for a long trip, having a practical survival kit for back pain can make all the difference. This post shares effective seat adjustments, cushion choices, and quick stretches that my private clients have found helpful to ease back pain during flights.

Choosing the Right Seat and Position

Airplane seats are poorly designed to make you slouch, but here are some tips for reducing strain on your back.

• Aim for aisle seats if possible. They offer more space to stretch and easier access to walk around.

• Use the seat’s recline feature Reclining slightly decreases the amount of hip flexion required when sitting which can help reduce tension in the hips and pressure on your lower back.

• Sit back fully in the seat so you can avoid slouching and maintain a slight arch in your back.

• Sit at the front of your seat and tuck your legs under to sit tall. The best posture is variety.

• Practice Stretchsitting by pressing down lightly on your thighs to lengthen your spine and then attach your mid back to the seat behind you to maintain the spinal length.

  
  

Adjusting your seat position with these tips can create a more supportive environment for your back during the flight.

Cushions That Make a Difference

Bringing the right cushions can transform a hard, rounded airplane seat into a more comfortable space for your back.

• Lumbar support cushions can help maintain the natural curve of your lower spine, and some people find relief from having low back support. The risk is if you overarch your back you could make your pain worse, and also the artificial arch support can weaken your postural muscles over time. This is the best lumbar cushion I've found, however I recommend you try the following cushion first as it's more convenient and teaches good posture.

• Stretchsit cushions help make it easier to sit tall because over time it's natural to slouch. They make it easier to sit tall and reduce the effort required to maintain good posture. It's small and compact so it makes a great travel cushion.

• Backjoy is a great option for improving the foundation of your hips by gently rolling the hips forward and I highly recommend it if you spend a lot of time sitting. It's not available for purchase on Amazon (cheaper alternative), so look on ebay for a used "backjoy" seat. The only problem with this is it takes up a lot of space so it's not very convenient for travel.

• Sweatshirts or blankets under your hips or at the back of your seat are a valid substitute if you don't have a cushion.

Using cushions tailored to your back’s needs reduces pain and stiffness. Many private clients report that awareness of ways to improve seat comfort significantly improves their back pain symptoms on long trips.

A Note on Sitting Posture

The position of your hips is the most important part of sitting well. When the hips are well-positioned and your posture is tall, the spine is balanced and neutral.

To sit with good posture, sit at the rear of the seat and roll your pelvis forward to sit on the sit bones. You can find these bones by sitting on your hands and feeling for two bony points at the bottom of your hips.

Imagine you are a dog and allow your tail to stick out behind you. Don’t sit on your tail!

Let your legs naturally open if you have space and spread your butt cheeks to widen your base of support and take stress off the low back.

Once your hips are positioned well, think about balancing your spine on your hips. When we focus on balance, better posture becomes easier and requires less effort than slouching.

Keep your nose below the level of your ears to maintain good head posture.

Imagine there's a string at the back of your head pulling up to the sky and try to be as tall as possible.

Quick Stretches to Do on the Plane

Staying still for hours tightens muscles and worsens back pain. Simple stretches can keep your back flexible and reduce discomfort.

• Reach overhead with one arm or both arms while seated or standing to stretch the muscles of your upper body. Hold for 10 seconds and breathe deeply. Make sure you don't overarch your back while reaching overhead by keeping your core engaged.

• Standing on one leg engages all the muscles of the hip and can help to improve circulation and mobility. Lateral leg raises further challenge the muscles of your hips.

• Hip airplane exercise opens up the inner and outer thighs, although it does require a bit more space. Spend 3 seconds at the bottom and the top to get the most out of the stretch.

• Standing Upper Body coiling is a great strategy for mobilizing your torso as it loosens the chest and lat muscles that get overly tight from sitting. You can stand in the aisle and reach high against a wall to feel relief by side bending and holding.

• Split Squat Stance with one leg in front of the other to feel a stretch in the front of your back leg and the back of your front leg. To feel a greater stretch, keep the hips facing forward and the back foot on the toes while leaning backwards and to the side away from the back leg.

• ATG Split squat is the perfect stretch before boarding the airplane. Place your foot on a seat and use your hands for support.

Conclusion

Traveling with chronic pain can be a headache, but hopefully this article provided you with some tools to avoid or minimize your pain. Practice movement whenever possible.

What has helped you stay pain-free while traveling? Let me know! Leave a comment below or send me a message.

Want one-on-one help with your chronic pain? Schedule a fitness consultation to get started today.

Hope this helps! - Tom