Tell me how to keep my back from hurting on flights

[husky429]

Since we're on the topic of pillows and travel, I figured I'd shoot my shot and combine both. You people seem to have opinions on everything.

I have a 16-hour flight coming up in a little over a month. Going to South Africa/Zimbabwe/Botswana for a 5 weeks before my new job starts. I'll be doing some classwork for summer courses while I'm there, but it will mostly just be my delayed honeymoon.

I have flown internationally like 50x in my life and still haven't figured it out. Flights more than 5 hours or so start to KILL my back. It is miserable, and I dread it for weeks in advance of the trip. I've sustained some injuries grappling over the years and have really tight hips--I'm assuming that's what is causing the problems. Mostly my lower and middle back. I've resorted to eating Advil like M&Ms in the past. Big thing for me is drinking way more water than I think I need, and getting up to stretch/move every hour if I can. That's about all I know to do.

I can't afford to fly anything more than coach, so paying more for a better seat isn't an option.

Any advice? Recommended lumbar or neck pillows? Chemical solutions? Something to help me sleep? Idk I've got nothing... but I'm already dreading this flight!

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

This won't help for your upcoming flight, but look into accumulating credit card points via sign up bonuses.

You can fly in international business class for roughly 50,000-160,000 points round trip depending on where you go. Can pretty easily acquire a few hundred thousand points a year between you and your wife.

 

[Deepster]

Drugs?

 

[storrsroars]

Obviously on a plane there's no place to do stretches where you have to lie down, but trips to the head will let you do some of these. And you can start in advance of your trip.

Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips - RISE Physical Therapy

Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock those tight hips!

www.risephysicaltherapy.com

Alternatively, I'd ask your doc for an Rx of muscle relaxers.

 

[HooperScooper]

Go see a chiropractor.

 

[ucinnc]

If you’re heading to Vic Falls, bungee jump off the bridge. It’s amazing.

 

[8893]

What about packing a massage gun in your carry-on so you can use that on the plane?

 

[superjohn]

Get yourself a backiatomy...

Watch "Dr. Said I need a backiatomy" on YouTube

 

[uconnfan68]

Obviously on a plane there's no place to do stretches where you have to lie down, but trips to the head will let you do some of these. And you can start in advance of your trip.

Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips - RISE Physical Therapy

Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock those tight hips!

www.risephysicaltherapy.com

Alternatively, I'd ask your doc for an Rx of muscle relaxers.

All that and business class.

 

[husky429]

What about packing a massage gun in your carry-on so you can use that on the plane?

I have a theragun I use all the time for the gym. That's actually a solid idea.

 

[husky429]

Obviously on a plane there's no place to do stretches where you have to lie down, but trips to the head will let you do some of these. And you can start in advance of your trip.

Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips - RISE Physical Therapy

Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock those tight hips!

www.risephysicaltherapy.com

Alternatively, I'd ask your doc for an Rx of muscle relaxers.

Muscle relaxers is a good idea. I'll look into it.

Weird this with my hips is that I am actually super strong and flexible in some ways... and terrible in others. I competed in Muay Thai for years. I can kick a water bottle off most people's heads. But certain types of movements I look like I've never stretched in my life.

 

[fatlucy]

This won't help for your upcoming flight, but look into accumulating credit card points via sign up bonuses.

You can fly in international business class for roughly 50,000-160,000 points round trip depending on where you go. Can pretty easily acquire a few hundred thousand points a year between you and your wife.

What card do you use?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Obviously on a plane there's no place to do stretches where you have to lie down, but trips to the head will let you do some of these. And you can start in advance of your trip.

Hips Don't Lie - How to Unlock Tight Hips - RISE Physical Therapy

Whether you to sit all day at work or you've just killed leg day at the gym, you've likely experienced issues with tight hips. Here are 5 ways to unlock those tight hips!

www.risephysicaltherapy.com

Alternatively, I'd ask your doc for an Rx of muscle relaxers.

+1 on all that. Force yourself to get up and move around every 90-120 minutes. Get an aisle seat if possible so you can easily control when you get. See if there are any exit rows or other rows where there isn't a seat in front of you. Check out seatguru.com. You can search every flight and it will show you cabin layout with real feedback for each seat. Find those areas between the different classes or where there are bathrooms and galleys and do some basic stretches. 5 minutes every few hours should help alleviate the strain.
You are most likely going to sleep on your flight. I have found reclining the coach seats to their most reclined position isn't the most comfortable for me. I actually sleep better in coach in a more upright position.
Finally, use a blanket, extra pillow or something else for lumbar support. No matter how you slice it, that is a long flight and it's going to be uncomfortable for parts of it.
I've done Atlanta to Tokyo and Atlanta to Incheon and those are almost the same lengths depending on wind.

 

[Umami Zen]

My wife had an accident 15 mos ago .. Long story short.. Multiple micro fractures in the back.. Severe damage to the sacrum/lumbar area. Now has an eight inch surgical screw (permanent) in her back holding the pelvic block together. Surgery done by a Trauma Surgeon...On our most recent plane trips.. Longest 4 hr non-stop.. She has combined Motrin/Ibuprofen along with a thermal patch that keeps the site warm for the duration of flight. Can get over the counter. Provides her with pretty good comfort. Not perfect. As they lose their potency --You can simply take it off and replace with a new one for strength. Combined with a lumbar pillow (maybe Relax-the-Back retail?)..Your doc may be able to help with a more potent medicated patch.

Might want to check out some day before your flight-- driving around town, etc.- to see if it might work as a strategy.

Not optimal but I have found that Tylenol PM can put you down for 8-10 hrs of uninterrupted sleep.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

start a situp routine now. any amount is better than nuthin.
and, when folks say 'get up and walk around,' they forget to add
and try to do a few toe-touches while ur up. palms touching the floor is the holy grail, but again, any effort is better than none.
cuz, ya know, fully stretching out all that congealed mess.

 

[CTMike]

If you are in an isle seat get up every 30-45 min, don’t wait for it to get bad. Arch your back backwards several times.

 

[TerryBoyz]

For me I noticed that I was more comfortable on long flights once I started doing yoga. I know you said you are super flexible.
I’m in good shape and I thought it would be a break from my workout but it was easily the toughest time in the gym all week.
Some poses just worked in areas that I would never stretch prior
It’s a humbling experience.
Maybe give that a try.

 

[storrsroars]

Go see a chiropractor.

The best thing about seeing a chiropractor is that when s/he inevitably screws up, you can get yourself a Lamborghini, like my pal Steve did. Unfortunately he has to be careful about always using the rearview mirrors as he can't turn his head around very far.

The first chiro I used milked me for well over a year without ever resolving the primary issue of the pain. The second one I used almost paralyzed me. Unfortunately I didn't collect the info I needed to get my own sports car.

 

[husky429]

If you are in an isle seat get up every 30-45 min, don’t wait for it to get bad. Arch your back backwards several times.

I'm an aisle seat guy for sure. I usually wait too long to get up... I should set a timer for every 40 minutes or something.

 

[husky429]

The best thing about seeing a chiropractor is that when s/he inevitably screws up, you can get yourself a Lamborghini, like my pal Steve did. Unfortunately he has to be careful about always using the rearview mirrors as he can't turn his head around very far.

The first chiro I used milked me for well over a year without ever resolving the primary issue of the pain. The second one I used almost paralyzed me. Unfortunately I didn't collect the info I needed to get my own sports car.

Milking people in pain for more money and short-term solutions is the bread and butter of the entire field.

 

[husky429]

For me I noticed that I was more comfortable on long flights once I started doing yoga. I know you said you are super flexible.
I’m in good shape and I thought it would be a break from my workout but it was easily the toughest time in the gym all week.
Some poses just worked in areas that I would never stretch prior
It’s a humbling experience.
Maybe give that a try.

Flexibility =/= strength. Strength in my hips and lower back is the problem... and yoga would probably help. I should do that 30 day Yoga with Adrienne thing on youtube.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

What card do you use?

Not really about a specific card for every day use - it's about the Sign Up Bonuses that cards offer.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card just recently offered a 100,000 sign up bonus when you spent $4,000 in the first 3 months. I was able to sign up for that card, refer my fiancée, she was able to sign up for the card as well.

This netted us 230,000 points. (100,000 for each sign up bonus, 20,000 for the referral, 10,000 on spend).

This can be done with countless other cards. Even if you only sign up for two cards per year per person you should easily be able to get 200,000-400,000 points a year per household.

 

[husky429]

My wife had an accident 15 mos ago .. Long story short.. Multiple micro fractures in the back.. Severe damage to the sacrum/lumbar area. Now has an eight inch surgical screw (permanent) in her back holding the pelvic block together. Surgery done by a Trauma Surgeon...On our most recent plane trips.. Longest 4 hr non-stop.. She has combined Motrin/Ibuprofen along with a thermal patch that keeps the site warm for the duration of flight. Can get over the counter. Provides her with pretty good comfort. Not perfect. As they lose their potency --You can simply take it off and replace with a new one for strength. Combined with a lumbar pillow (maybe Relax-the-Back retail?)..Your doc may be able to help with a more potent medicated patch.

Might want to check out some day before your flight-- driving around town, etc.- to see if it might work as a strategy.

Not optimal but I have found that Tylenol PM can put you down for 8-10 hrs of uninterrupted sleep.

Tylenol PM was the only thing that made my 9 hour flight last summer bearable. I had forgotten about it. Adding that to my list.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The best thing about seeing a chiropractor is that when s/he inevitably screws up, you can get yourself a Lamborghini, like my pal Steve did. Unfortunately he has to be careful about always using the rearview mirrors as he can't turn his head around very far.

The first chiro I used milked me for well over a year without ever resolving the primary issue of the pain. The second one I used almost paralyzed me. Unfortunately I didn't collect the info I needed to get my own sports car.

Great Brady Bunch episode when they surprised the hurt victim in the court room with the book drop and he snapped his head around quickly.

 

[Chin Diesel]

On a side not as someone who has never flown anywhere near that direction, how do airlines fly to the southern tip of Africa?

Do they go south through the Caribbean and South American and then shoot across the Atlantic and then hug Africa's west coast?