Traveling And The Importance Of Stretching With LYMBR  

Traveling And The Importance Of Stretching With LYMBR  

Travel season is an exciting time full of new adventures and experiences. But let’s face it, long flights, bus rides, and car trips can take a toll on our bodies. That’s why it’s essential to make stretching a part of your travel routine. Not only does it feel great, but it also has numerous benefits that will keep you feeling your best during your travels. 

First and foremost, stretching helps to improve circulation, which is crucial when you’re sitting for extended periods. Sitting for long periods can cause blood to pool in your legs, leading to discomfort, swelling, and even blood clots. By stretching, you can help get your blood flowing and prevent these issues from arising. 

Stretching also helps to reduce stress and tension in your muscles. When you’re traveling, you’re likely carrying bags, walking long distances, and sitting for extended periods—all of which can lead to muscle tension and soreness. By stretching, you can release this tension and feel more relaxed. 

Additionally, stretching can help improve your posture. When you’re sitting for long periods, it’s easy to slouch or hunch over, leading to back and neck pain. By stretching your back, shoulders, and neck, you can help improve your posture and reduce discomfort. 

But stretching isn’t just good for your body; it’s also good for your mind. Taking a few minutes to stretch can help you relax and de-stress, which is especially important when you’re traveling. Traveling can be overwhelming and taking a few minutes to stretch can help you clear your mind and refocus. 

So, how can you incorporate stretching into your travel routine? It’s easy! Start by taking a few minutes to stretch before you leave for your trip. Focus on stretching your legs, back, shoulders, and neck. During your trip, take breaks to stretch whenever you can. Whether you’re on a plane, bus, or car, take a few minutes to stand up and stretch your legs. 

These are some of our favorite self-stretches, approved by our experts, demonstrated by Devin, one of our Stretch Therapists  from our UES studio in NYC. 

We recommend doing 3-5 reps of each stretch.

Right Scalene Neck Stretch
Left Scalene Neck Stretch
Seated Back Rotation
Standing Quad Stretch

You’ve earned your time away from work and your day-to-day life routines! Get the most out of your vacation by feeling your best from the time you leave the house, to the day you return. Your body and mind will thank you. Safe and healthy travels!

Pregnancy Self-Stretches

Pregnancy Self-Stretches

One of my favorite things about being a LYMBR therapist is learning all the ways to help my body during my pregnancy! I have 3 favorite stretches that I do daily to help with the aches and pains that I get from my pregnancy. However due to a hormone that is released during pregnancy called relaxin you have to be very careful not to over-stretch yourself when doing self stretches.  The relaxin hormone is produced to allow your skin and muscles to stretch during pregnancy to prepare your body for the growth of the baby. 

CALF STRETCH

I love to stretch my gastrocnemius muscles (calves) out due to getting pregnancy cramps (especially at night). This is also helpful because your calves tend to counteract the weight gain from the belly region during pregnancy. The calf muscles for me personally are normally one of my tighter muscles, so during pregnancy I do my diligence to take care and make sure to stretch them every day for at least 5 minutes. 

QUAD STRETCH

The second stretch that I love to do is for my quads. My quads, just like my calves, are regularly very tight, so during pregnancy they do feel a lot tighter than average. The quads due to the belly growing during pregnancy are already getting slightly stretched so you want to be careful not to over-stretch yourself.  I stretch this region of my thigh for about 5 minutes a day as well. 

BACK ROTATION

Lastly, the third stretch that I find crucial for aches and pains during pregnancy is a stretch we do for back rotation during pregnancy called “open book”. This stretch helps with my lower back pain and can even help with some pain between my shoulder blades with the different variations that can be done. The “open book” stretch is a great way to open up the chest area to help with posture to help to relieve the pain between the shoulder blades. I do this stretch for about 5-10 reps with each different variation. 

Let us know if there are other stretches you would like to learn about to ease the aches and pains of pregnancy. We’re here to help you take good care of yourself!

Written by Elizabeth Rivera, Darien Stretch Therapist and Expectant Mom.