Your Road Trip Mobility Checklist
Summer and the warm weather are great motivators to get outside and move more. But they also mean more time sitting. Whether going on a road trip or heading on vacation, it is easy to become stiff and sore at the end of your journey when traveling over several hours.
Static Body Positions Are A Stressor For Your Body
Sitting for prolonged periods of time tightens the hip flexors, calves and back and can lead to stiffness when you get yourself up and moving again. When done frequently, whether for consecutive weekend trips or for work, this stiffness can become chronic and cause aching throughout the day and during activity. Because of fascial connections through the body, stiffness can also become widespread if it is not addressed, affecting an entire kinetic chain beyond the initial tight muscle.
Prolonged travel can also impact your circulation. When we are static in one position, our circulation slows because our muscles are not working to assist blood pumping through the body. Moving around every hour can significantly improve circulation and reduce your risk for circulatory concerns, like DVT, from being stationary too long. This is especially important if you are traveling over 8 hours consecutively.
Travel Doesn't Have To Leave You Stiff
Taking a few minutes during your travels to move around and stretch can ease tension before it develops. If you are in a car, rest stops offer a great opportunity to get out of the car, walk and loosen tight muscles. If you are on a plane or train, using a bathroom break, doing a lap around the area or standing and marching in place are all great ways to get your muscles moving. If you have an extra minute or two, adding in some stretches can be key for releasing built-up travel tension.
Our Favorite Travel Stretches
Upper Trap Stretch
Reduces neck and shoulder tension
1. Reach one hand to the opposite side of your head
2. Gently pull your head towards your shoulder with your hand as you reach down towards the floor with your opposite hand until you feel a stretch in the top of the shoulder
3. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
Forearm / Bicep Stretch
Reduces anterior shoulder tension
1. Reach one arm forward at shoulder height with your palm facing up
2. Pull your fingers towards the floor with your opposite hand until you feel a stretch through the top of the forearm or bicep
3. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
Quad Stretch
Reduces anterior thigh and hip flexor tension
1. Shift your weight to one side and grab your opposite foot in one hand
2. Pull your foot in towards your butt until you feel a stretch in the front of the thigh
3. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
Side Stretch
Reduces back tension
1. Reach one arm up overhead towards the opposite side of your body until you feel a stretch through the side of the trunk
2. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
Calf Stretch
Reduces tension in the posterior calf
1. Step one foot back and bend your front knee
2. Shift your weight forward, keeping your back heel on the ground until you feel a stretch through the back of the calf
3. Hold for 10-20 seconds and repeat on the opposite side
Road trips and travel can take a toll on our musculoskeletal health. Long or repeated trips can result in muscle stiffness and soreness that can impact our daily lives, including our comfort moving around and working out.
At FIXXED, we understand how travel can impact your body. In addition to stretching, we offer a variety of bodywork services, including Graston, dry needling and cupping, that improve muscle stiffness and soreness, keeping you moving -- and traveling -- without any aches and pains. Interested in a bodywork session? Book your intro call today.
