What are the best leg and foot stretches / exercises before heading on a plane by more than 8 hours? I'm headed on vacation next month and I am concerned about the swelling of my feet after loooooong flight. There are all good exercises or stretches I can do before heading to the airport to get the blood flowing? and what kind of shoes should i wear with or without socks?
1. Place a tennis ball, a racquetball or even a pair of socks with your hands until they are tired.
2.Keep the balls of your feet planted and raise your legs using your calf muscles. If this is too easy, place your hand luggage on his lap. Continue until tired.
3. Plant your heels firmly and raise your toes as high as possible. Hold for five seconds and relax. Repeat until tired.
4. Place your hands on the armrests and raise your knees slowly (together is harder than one at a time) toward your chin. Lower them slowly. Repeat until tired.
5. Cross your legs. Rotate the foot suspended in a circle as wide as possible. Continue until tired.
6. Stretch your neck by keeping your chin near the throat and tilting the head forward. Move your head from one shoulder to another, but avoid turning back.
7. Flex your trapezius muscle by doing shoulder hunches. Lower your shoulders, then raise them toward your ears into a shrug. Hold this position for five seconds. Continue until tired.
8. Arch your torso gently back and forth like a cat.
9. Flex your glutes and hold for as long as possible. Gritting back, as it can sometimes look odd, but these are the most important muscles in the human body and must be exercised, too.
10. When the aisles are relatively empty and the seat belt sign is off, walk, stretch and do splits. For slot, a big step (about half your size) and gently lower yourself as much as you can while keeping the torso upright and back leg straight. Return to standing, walking, either forward or backward with the foot backward with the front foot. Repeat.
See my source below for more information.
Regarding shoes, I would wear what is comfortable for you. I would also like to wear socks, as it is cold in the aircraft and you do not want your feet to get cold.
EmilyRN
Posted on February 12, 2010.
