Sitting for a long period of time can leave you feeling cramped, stiff, and uncomfortable. It can also aggravate some health conditions.
About 1 in 1,000 Americans each year develop dangerous clots, and long travel is a known trigger because sitting for more than 4 hours doubles your risk of developing a blood clot.
Symptoms can include swelling, pain, redness in the leg, and even healthy people can be at risk.
Prevention is key, and movement every hour keeps blood flowing.
That’s why, if you’re planning to catch a flight soon, it’s important to know some simple exercises you can do while sitting.
These exercises improve circulation, reduce swelling, ease tension, and boost your energy.
Nemiah Rutledge, founder of Body Paradox, created FlyFit — a program of simple stretches you can do right in your seat to feel better during a long flight.
Exercises
- Back: Spinal elongation (hands behind head, sit tall) – relieves slouch & low back pressure
- Back: Rotation hold (gentle torso twist) – loosens spine, boosts circulation
- Legs: Knee-to-chest pull – relieves hip & back tension
- Legs: Ankle mobility (point/flex, rotate) – keeps blood moving, reduces swelling & clot risk
- Hips: Seated figure-4 – opens hips, eases tightness
- Arms: Cross-body arm stretch with wrist rotation – loosens shoulders & forearms
- Neck: Forward neck stretch – relieves tension, prevents headaches
- Neck: Side/upward stretch – eases screen/phone strain
If you’d like to learn more about these in-flight exercises and other programs, follow BodyParadox on Facebook.