Whether you’re flying across the country, taking a long train ride, or driving on a cross-country road trip, sitting for extended periods while traveling can take a toll on your body. Experts say that incorporating regular stretching during travel isn’t just helpful — it’s essential for your comfort, circulation, and overall health.

While sitting might seem like a restful activity, long bouts of inactivity can have real physical consequences. Physical therapists say when you remain seated for hours, especially in cramped travel conditions, blood flow slows, muscles tighten, and your joints become stiff.

Travelers often report tight hips, lower back pain, swollen ankles, and stiff necks after long flights or road trips. But there’s also a more serious concern: prolonged sitting increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — a condition where blood clots form in the legs, which can be life-threatening if they travel to the lungs.

According to experts, stretching improves circulation, keeps muscles flexible, and reduces stiffness — especially in key areas affected by travel like the hips, hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders.

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Doctors say when you stretch, you’re encouraging blood to flow to areas that may otherwise become stagnant during long periods of stillness. This helps reduce swelling, prevent cramping, and combat the sluggish feeling that often comes after hours of sitting.

Our Brogan Morris walks you through stretches you can do right from the plane, car or train… just watch this attached video and follow along.

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