Road Ready Stretches
On road trips, remember to move your muscles. Prevent tightness and strain with these stretches that increase joint and muscle flexibility and improve blood circulation, which is important for the traveling team!
Staying Flexible and Comfortable
Don’t just sit there, stretch! On road trips, take a moment to move those muscles. Prevent tightness and strain with these stretches that increase joint and muscle flexibility and improve blood circulation.
Stop Every 2 Hours
- Sitting for long periods of time can tighten and fatigue muscles, joints and tendons. Stop every two or three hours and move your body. Check out InterstateRestAreas.com, where you can find rest stops located along your route.
Adjust Your Seat
- Adjust your seat so your lower back is supported. Make sure you sit comfortably with good posture. This means sitting up straight with your feet on the ground, not with your legs under or beside you.
Move Around
- From time to time, move around in your seat. This distributes your weight to other muscles groups, alleviating tightness and pressure on your spine, lower back and glutes.
Travel in Comfort
- Try a car seat accessory that provides added support and improves posture. A variety of ergonomic seat products are available like neck supporting pillows, lower back cushions and cushy seat covers.
Stretches You Can Do in the Car Stretches
- Wrist and Forearm: Extend the arms above your head and move the wrists in circular motions. Change directions after 10 reps. Grasp the fingers and gently bend them down. Hold for 10 seconds, then bend the wrist by pulling the fingers down. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat movements for 10 reps.
- Arms, Shoulders & Upper Back: With arms extended above your head, interlock your fingers and gently move the arms back. Hold for 10 seconds. Lower your arms and repeat for 5 reps.
- Neck: Move your shoulders down and back. Slowly bend your neck from side and front to back. Hold each neck position for 15 seconds.
- Back: With your seatbelt on, hinge forward so your chest meets your quadriceps. Loosely hang your arms between the knees and reach for the floor. Relax allowing your body weight to pull you down and to increase the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds.
- Lower Trunk: Sit up straight with shoulders down and back. Twist at the lower back to one side. Using your hands, push at the legs into a deeper twist. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat the other side.
Stretches You Can Do Outside the Car Stretches
With each stretch, Keep your heels firmly planted and maintain a straight back and neck posture. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat by switching legs.
- Calf Muscle: With your hands on the car, place one foot in front of the other. Slowly lean forward onto the front foot and stretch the calf muscle of the rear leg. Try to keep the rear leg straight and both heels firmly planted to provide more stretch.
- Quadriceps: Stand on one leg and pull the other leg directly behind you with your hand. Try to touch your heel to your gluteus.
- Standing Groin: Stand with your legs wide apart. Shift your weight onto one of your legs and bend at the knee. The knee of the bent leg should be in line with the toes.
- IT Band: From a standing position, cross one leg in front of the other. Lean your upper body toward the side of the front leg, and push your hips in the opposite direction.
