Pains, Trains and Automobiles-The Power Of Posture
So I’m sitting here at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada just preparing myself for one of the most physically challenging events that I undertake about a dozen times a year or so.
Flying.
My travel schedule is typically full of courses and seminars but this time I’m off to sunny Alberta, Canada for a family visits and a wedding.
Five days of Rocky mountains, prairies and family fun time.
The problem is Alberta is a significant distance from Toronto. It’s true. Canada is an expansive piece of landmass.
Which is why I fly.
Therein lies my issue (some of my friends may say that this is just one many that afflict me!)
I hate flying. I really do.
My thoughts exactly
If you’ve been following anything on my blog, you’ll realize that I’m not a big fan of sitting. And flying, especially long distances, typically entails hours upon hours of just that (the same could be said of trains and automobiles as well!).
In fact, I would say that the simple act of sitting is, or has been, one of the fundamental reasons why people have consulted me for physical therapy to relieve their varying and incessant aches and pains, most notably low back pain.
I could go on all the other issues that arise, but I’ll save that for another time.
Let me guess…at this point you’re probably rolling your eyes in disdain at me with my sitting equals doom and gloom decrees.
Well, let me clarify this a bit.
Sitting isn’t so bad in itself.
The problem is that we tend to sit for LONG periods of time.
Without moving. In set positions like the famous slouch. Especially in airplanes with their cramped seats and long delays.
And that, my friends, is the reason I hate flying.
Think of it this way.
How often do you really get a chance to stand up and move around on an airplane? Do you really stretch your legs? How comfortable can you really get? And those tiny bathrooms…don’t even get me started on those.
I’ll be the first to admit…I’m a chronic fidgeter.
And it’s pretty damn hard to fidget when you’re strapped to what could essentially be considered a flying “profit-maximizing” seat.
Now imagine taking a flight that lasts 8-10 hours (thankfully, most of my flights are 5 hours or less). Now imagine doing that 5 or 6 days a week.
What kind of chronic stress and trauma do you think is placed on your body? On your bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles? Or even on your mental state?
For those of you out there who work in offices, sit at desks or drive for long periods…this is what you do to your body. Everyday.
You take that daily airplane ride, without the airplane.
Think about that for a few minutes and ask yourself about the power of your posture.
Yours in fidgeting.
Dev Chengkalath
