Exercising in the air

Stiff neck, sore back, heavy legs? You can avoid such discomfort on long flights by doing a few simple exercises at your seat. Five Bayern Munich soccer pros introduce “flyrobic”

 It’s true: Even soccer players in top condition like ­Thomas Müller and Jérôme Boateng from FC Bayern Munich get swollen feet from sitting on a plane too long – there’s just no getting around the effects of gravity. Sure, there’s more room to move around and more space between the seats in Business Class than in Economy, but even top athletes suffer from the “one-sided position you are forced to take, the right angle at which your knees are bent, the effect of gravity drawing all the blood into your feet – all of which makes it so difficult for your blood to circulate back up again,” explains Dr. Lothar Zell, the head of the medical department at Lufthansa. Blood plasma collects in the lower half of your body and sometimes leaks into the lymph system. The result is familiar to anyone who has ever flown long distances: Your feet swell up and your legs feel heavy. In rare cases, you can even develop a travel-related deep-vein thrombosis.

The antidote is just a touchscreen away: Lufthansa has developed a new video with FC Bayern Munich (see your in-flight entertainment program under “Well-being”) that demonstrates how a few important exercises called flyrobic will increase your well-being on board and help you arrive better rested. Bayern players Javier Martínez, Jérôme Boateng, Thomas Müller, Juan Bernat and ­Rafinha had lots of fun putting together the video, which also features witty commentary by ZDF sports reporter Béla Réthy. “The video is not, nor is it intended as a substitute for going to the gym or doing physical rehabilitation,” says Dr. Zell, “it just introduces a series of short, simple exercises you can do no matter whether you are old or young, athletic or not.”

 Athletes and other airline passengers loosen up from head to toe at their seat, and each exercise only lasts about 20 seconds. “The more repetitions, the better, but once is better than not all all,” says Dr. Zell. His recommendation: at least five exercises every hour on the hour. “This way, you activate different muscle groups, from your neck and throat muscles to those in your shoulder girdle, legs and feet in just two to three minutes.” Müller and his teammates show you how to use counter-pressure and rotation to loosen and stretch your shoulders and legs. They tense their muscles and relax them again – without leaving their seat. Every trip to the lavatory is also a good opportunity to move and stretch.

But what if you’re the type who likes to watch FC Bayern Munich pros run around on the pitch while sitting comfortably in front of your TV munching chips and swigging beer? “If you’re a couch potato at home, you cannot compensate for this on board,” says Dr. Zell. Instead, you should try to incorporate as much natural exercise into your daily routine as you can.