The Unexpected Reason To Pack A Tennis Ball In Your Carry-On Bag Before A Long Flight
If you're heading out for a long-haul flight (or, really, any flight at all), you may want to pack an unexpected essential item in your carry-on: a tennis ball. It may seem like an odd thing to add to your bag, but hear us out. If you tend to get achy muscles from sitting in the uncomfortable seats that airlines shove us into or from trying to observe unspoken etiquette rules by not reclining your seat, a tennis ball can be the perfect on-the-go massage tool. While many airlines offer seat yoga programs on their in-flight entertainment systems, they may not work as well for muscle aches or stagnant circulation as a tennis ball.
In a TikTok, user @dr.jakedc offers some great tips for using a ball to massage your muscles while sitting in a plane seat. (You can also use these tips in your hotel when you get to your destination.) Your back is often the first spot on your body to ache during a flight. While sitting, take the tennis ball (or a lacrosse ball, as @dr.jakedc uses in the video) and put it behind your back where your muscle aches, whether it's your lower back, your shoulder blades, or your sides, positioning it between your body and the seat. Press back into the ball gently and move a bit from side to side or up and down to loosen your muscles with minimal movement. That's just the first step to loosening muscle tension, but one caveat before we go further: Check with your doctor before trying any exercise or massage routine.
Ways to use a tennis ball to loosen your muscles on a plane
Another suggestion in the TikTok is to put the ball under your thigh, then extend your leg and bend your knee to target your hamstrings. You can also place the ball under your glutes and roll it from side to side. A lacrosse ball like the one used in the clip (similar to the Kieba Massage Lacrosse Balls on Amazon) gives more resistance, while a tennis ball (like the Penn Championship 3-Pack) is softer.
@dr.jakedc Time spent sitting could double as mobility practice! Try traveling with your lacrosse ball. #chiropractic #chiropractor #travel #travelhacks #lacrosse #mobilty #flying
Another travel hack not highlighted in the TikTok is using a small ball for aching feet. Maybe you didn't want to splurge for good walking shoes before your vacation, and now your feet are paying the price. While seated on the plane, take off your shoes (and, for the love of all that is good, keep your socks on) and roll the ball under each foot to relieve tight muscles. Another idea is to take two tennis balls and put them in a long sock, knotting it at one end. Then, place it behind your back or neck, with one ball on either side of your spine. The DIY massage tool helps prevent tension from building when you're seated for hours. No matter how you choose to use your carry-on tennis balls, one thing you should keep in mind is that you shouldn't be applying pressure or rolling directly over the bones in your body. Focus on the areas with muscle for maximum relief and to avoid injuring yourself.