Neck pain after flying: sleeping upright, neck pillows, screens, lifting bags and what helps

Neck pain after a flight is common, and it is nearly always ordinary neck pain from the muscles and small joints: hours in one position, dozing upright with your head dropping forward or to the side, looking down at a phone or laptop, and lifting bags into the locker. It isn't a sign of damage, and it usually eases within days to weeks as you move. No study shows a neck pillow prevents it, but reclining a little and keeping your head from dropping help you sleep and help your neck.

It starts with the signs that need help, from a 999 call for a sudden, severe headache, double vision or slurred speech, chest pain or sudden breathlessness, to a general practitioner (GP) or the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) the same day for new pins and needles or weakness in an arm, or pain or swelling in one leg after a long flight. It then covers sleeping upright, what neck pillows can and can't do, screens in your seat, lifting bags, the NHS's advice on moving your legs, how much pain is fine, and a three-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 34 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999: chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing on your chest; chest pain that's spreading to your arms, neck or jaw; severe difficulty breathing (you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out); lips or skin that are pale, blue or grey (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands); or someone who has passed out and is not responding normally. It could be a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
Call 999 or go to A&E if breathing suddenly becomes difficult, if pain in your chest or upper back comes on suddenly with breathlessness or a very fast heartbeat, or if someone passes out. These are the NHS's signs of a blood clot in the lungs (a pulmonary embolism) or another serious condition. Don't drive yourself.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): throbbing pain in one leg (rarely both), usually the calf or thigh; swelling in one leg (rarely both); red, blue or darkened skin around the painful area, which may be harder to see on brown or black skin; or swollen veins. This can be a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is more likely after surgery, a hospital stay, 3 or more days in bed, a journey of over 4 hours, pregnancy or a recent birth, cancer, a previous clot, or oestrogen-containing contraception or HRT.
The blood clot signs above can come on in the weeks after a long flight, not only on the day: in a study of 8,755 travellers, the risk was highest in the first 2 weeks and back to normal by about 8 (our suggestion, built on that study and the NHS pages on blood clots). If you get them, say that you've flown recently.
Call 999 or go to A&E after a neck injury if the person is unresponsive, has severe neck pain or cannot move their head, has fallen from a height such as 5 or more stairs, or is drunk or has taken recreational drugs. Do not drive yourself. Being 65 or over, a dangerous fall or crash (from more than 1 metre or 5 stairs, diving, a high-speed or rollover crash, being thrown from a vehicle, a bicycle collision or an accident on a motorised recreational vehicle), or tingling in the arms or legs after an injury puts you at high risk of a broken neck: get checked.
Call 999 or go to A&E: a headache that came on suddenly and is extremely painful; numbness or weakness in the face or body; a drooping face, or being unable to lift both arms and keep them up; difficulty speaking, swallowing, balancing, walking or remembering; double vision or loss of vision; drowsiness or confusion. A torn neck artery often starts with headache and neck pain, sometimes with dizziness or tingling, so head or neck pain unlike any you have had before needs checking.
Call 999: you suddenly can't fully lift both arms and keep them there, because of weakness or numbness in one arm, especially if one side of your face droops or you slur your words or sound confused. It could be a stroke. Call even if the signs have stopped.
Call 999 or go to A&E: new problems walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, or a sudden loss of coordination, such as difficulty doing up buttons. These can be signs of pressure on the spinal cord.
Call 999: chest pain that spreads to your arm, neck or jaw, especially with breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick. It could be a heart attack.
Get help from NHS 111: pain or tightness in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that comes and goes, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and easing after a few minutes' rest. It can be angina, a sign of a heart problem. If you've been diagnosed with angina, get help from NHS 111 too if it feels worse than before, is happening more often, lasts longer or happens when you're resting.
Call 999 or go to A&E: a stiff neck and you can't look at bright lights; a very painful headache; a very high or very low temperature, feeling hot or cold to the touch, or shivering; confusion, slurred speech or not making sense; a rash that does not fade when you press a glass on it; or a first seizure (fit). These can be signs of meningitis. Call too for any other symptoms you're worried might be meningitis.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): severe neck pain that starts suddenly or gets worse quickly; heaviness or weakness in the arms or legs; pins and needles in an arm along with neck or arm pain; or pain between the shoulder blades.
Same day: clumsiness in your hands, or numbness, pins and needles or weakness in one or both arms, that is getting worse; problems with balance or walking since the neck pain started; or neck pain with a severe headache.
Arm weakness or numbness that keeps getting worse, severe pain that painkillers and rest do not touch, or an unexplained fever.
Contact a GP immediately, go to 111.nhs.uk or call NHS 111: a new or frequent headache that usually comes on suddenly (your scalp may also feel sore or tender), pain in the jaw muscles or tongue when eating or talking, or problems with your sight, such as double vision or loss of vision in 1 or both eyes. With pain and stiffness around the shoulders, these can be signs of temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis), which up to 1 in 5 people with polymyalgia rheumatica develop. If you suddenly can't see from 1 or both eyes, call 999 or go to A&E.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): sudden, severe pain in one joint, with swelling, a change in skin colour or difficulty moving it, especially if you feel unwell, hot, cold or shivery or have a high temperature (although not everyone has one). It could be an infection in the joint, gout or calcium crystals (pseudogout), and only a sample of fluid from the joint can tell them apart.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

You've had a blood clot before, have had surgery or a stay in hospital recently, have cancer, are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 6 weeks, or take contraception or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that contains oestrogen, and you're planning a flight or journey of 4 hours or more: speak to a GP, nurse or pharmacist before you go, and ask about properly fitted flight socks (our suggestion, in line with NHS inform, which says to speak to a healthcare professional before long-distance travel if you've had a DVT or are at risk of one).
Neck pain or stiffness that has not eased after a few weeks, or after 8 weeks of looking after it yourself; painkillers are not helping; or you are worried. In many areas you can refer yourself to NHS physiotherapy.
Pins and needles or a cold arm alongside neck pain, or a new loss of strength or feeling in the arm that you cannot explain (a possible nerve problem).
No improvement after 6 weeks of exercise, or arm symptoms still there beyond 6 to 12 weeks.
Neck pain with feeling generally unwell, or that started while you were ill with another condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or cancer; or neck pain with blurred vision, ringing in the ears or dizziness.
Severe pain that is constant or disturbs your sleep, a fever or unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer, inflammatory arthritis, tuberculosis (TB), a weakened immune system, neck surgery or a violent injury. Serious causes are very rare, but these need checking.
See a GP if you have pain and stiffness for more than a week, especially if you're over 50, it's in both shoulders (often the neck and hips too) and the stiffness lasts longer than 45 minutes in the morning. It can be polymyalgia rheumatica.
You can't turn your head far enough to look round when you drive: don't drive until you can (the NHS says not to drive or cycle while you can't move your neck), and see a general practitioner (GP) if it doesn't ease within a few weeks.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

The back or side of the neck and the tops of the shoulders, stiff after dozing upright or a long flight

Ordinary neck pain from a long, still spell. This guide covers it, and our neck pain guide goes further.

Read: Neck pain →

Locked to one side on waking after the flight, with the head held tilted

A wry neck. Our stiff neck guide covers it.

Read: Stiff neck and wry neck →

Sore at the end of turning your head to one side

Usually ordinary neck pain, often from the small joints at the side of the neck. Our turning guide covers it.

Read: Neck pain turning your head →

Pain, pins and needles or numbness down one arm, worse turning or tipping your head

Points to a trapped nerve in the neck. Weakness or clumsy hands that are getting worse need checking the same day.

Read: Pinched nerve in the neck →

A one-sided headache from the back of the head, with a stiff neck

It can come from the neck (cervicogenic headache).

Read: Headaches from the neck →

A pressing headache on both sides after a long day of travel

Usually a tension headache.

Read: Tension headaches →

The neck and the top of the shoulder together after lifting or carrying bags

Usually the neck and shoulder muscles. Our shoulder pain from carrying guide covers bags and straps.

Read: Neck and shoulder pain →

The shoulder itself, worse lifting your arm to the locker

Usually the rotator cuff. Our lifting-arm guide covers it.

Read: Shoulder pain lifting your arm →

Between the shoulder blades after the flight

Usually tired upper back muscles.

Read: Upper back pain from sitting →

Neck pain after hours looking down at a phone or laptop

Our looking down guide covers screens and breaks.

Read: Neck pain looking down →

Neck pain on the nights after the trip, in your own bed

Our sleeping guide covers pillows and positions in bed.

Read: Neck pain from sleeping →

Neck pain after a jolt in turbulence, a fall, or a bag falling on your head

Check the injury warning signs first; our whiplash guide covers the rest.

Read: Whiplash →

Show all 15 areasShow fewer areas

The low back after the flight

Our back pain after flying guide covers the seat and lifting cases.

Read: Back pain after flying →

A sudden, extremely painful headache, double vision, slurred speech or a drooping face

Call 999, as the warning signs say. A stroke, a bleed or a torn neck artery can start this way.

Neck, jaw or arm pain with chest pain, breathlessness or sweating, or sudden breathlessness after a flight

This may be the heart or a blood clot in the lungs, not the neck: call 999, as the warning signs say.

Understand it

Common, and usually ordinary neck painStrong evidence

Neck pain is common anyway: 30% to 50% of adults have it over a year, more often women, and most often in middle age. NHS inform names "being in the one position too long" among common causes of neck problems, and the NHS says don't keep your neck in the same position for a long time.

No study has measured neck pain in passengers after flights. In a lab study of an aircraft seat, discomfort in the upper body became pronounced within about 30 minutes, and a little recline and more legroom eased it; in 29 volunteers who sat for 3 hours in a mock-up cabin, the back of the neck and both shoulders were among the most uncomfortable areas.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Dozing upright: why the head dropsEmerging evidence

In 6 people napping for 4 hours, an upright seat gave 29% less total sleep and 79% less dream (REM) sleep than lying flat, and the authors suggest "it is difficult to maintain the head in a comfortable position for sleep when sitting upright", especially in REM sleep, when the muscles relax most. A seat reclined to 40 degrees gave about as much sleep as lying flat. So as you drop off upright, the head nods forward or tips to the side and the neck spends long spells at the end of its range (our reading). The NHS lists the neck becoming locked in an awkward position while sleeping among the commonest causes of neck pain. This was one very small sleep-lab study.

Sources 6, 3

Neck pillows and headrests: two tiny lab studiesEmerging evidence

No study has tested a travel pillow against neck pain or for sleep on a plane. In a lab study of people resting upright in an office chair, read only as an abstract, a pillow that supports the chin from the front steadied the head and neck more than no pillow. In a reclined business class seat, a headrest made no difference to neck muscle activity, though passengers expected more comfort with one; some of that study's authors work for a seat maker. These are two tiny lab studies.

In 30 young men, a small lower back support with the backrest slightly reclined brought the head back over the shoulders. So a pillow is a comfort aid: worth using if it stops your head dropping, not if it pushes your head forward (our reading).

Sources 7, 8, 9

Screens, turning and lifting bagsEmerging evidence

In 24 young adults in a mock-up cabin, using a phone bent the neck further and was less comfortable than resting, more so for games than reading, and a higher armrest eased it; using a laptop bent the upper back, neck and head further forward than watching the seat-back screen.

Cabin crew rated handling carry-on bags their hardest task on the shoulders, and the neck and shoulders were their commonest sore area; lifting cases to head height loaded the shoulders beyond UK manual handling guidance in a lab study. Neck pain was reported by 30% of 105 cabin crew in one survey and, in Israeli flight attendants, was linked with stress. These are small surveys of people who work in cabins, not passengers.

Sources 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Blood clots after a long flightStrong evidence

A long flight raises the risk of a blood clot in a leg (a deep vein thrombosis, DVT) or in the lungs (a pulmonary embolism) a little. In 8,755 employees of international organisations, there was one clot per 4,656 flights of over 4 hours, and the World Health Organization's (WHO's) research project put it at 1 in 6,000 in healthy people. The risk rises with longer and repeated flights, by 26% for every 2 hours in the air in a review of 14 studies, and is highest in the first 2 weeks. A severe clot in the lungs on arrival affected 1.5 to 4.8 per million passengers on the longest flights in Paris. The NHS lists a past clot, recent surgery, cancer, pregnancy or a recent birth, and contraception or HRT that contains oestrogen among the things that make a clot more likely. Our back pain after flying guide gives more detail.

Sources 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

When a scan mattersStrong evidence

Not for neck pain after a flight. In 1,211 people aged 20 to 70 without neck symptoms, 87.6% had disc bulges on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, including most people in their 20s, so a scan finding doesn't explain a stiff neck after travel. New weakness, clumsy hands or the injury warning signs need a doctor, who decides on a scan. Neck, jaw or arm pain with chest pain can be a heart attack, the NHS says, and needs hospital tests, not a neck scan.

Sources 22, 23

How it usually goesStrong evidence

The NHS says "Most neck pain only lasts a few weeks". NHS inform says you should see the biggest change in the first couple of weeks, and most problems should have improved within 8 weeks. Neck pain often comes back: between half and three quarters of people with neck pain report it again 1 to 5 years later, which is why the plan keeps going. No one can promise a date.

Sources 3, 2, 24

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Recline a little and support your head: guidance and small studiesEmerging evidence

No trial has tested a way of sleeping on a plane for neck pain. Reclining gave more sleep in the sleep-lab study, and a slight recline with a lower back support brought the head back over the shoulders. A pillow that stops the head dropping forward or sideways, without pushing it forward from the headrest, is a reasonable comfort aid; the evidence is two tiny lab studies, one read as an abstract and one partly by seat-maker authors.

Sources 6, 9, 7, 8

Screens: hold them higherEmerging evidence

In a mock-up cabin, a higher armrest reduced neck bending and eased neck discomfort while using a phone, and laptops bent the neck more than the seat-back screen. Holding a phone higher, propping your elbows and looking up and away every few minutes is our application of these small lab studies.

Sources 10, 11

Keep the neck moving, little and oftenStrong evidence

NHS inform advises "moving your neck for short periods every hour", not staying in one position for too long, and carrying on with normal activities. The NHS suggests a low, firm pillow, heat or cold packs and paracetamol or ibuprofen, and says don't wear a neck collar unless a doctor tells you to, because "it's better to keep your neck moving".

Sources 2, 3

Moving your legs on a long flightStrong evidence

The same advice applies to your neck's flight: the NHS says "bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes every 30 minutes while seated", "walk around whenever you can", "wear loose, comfortable clothing" and "drink water regularly", and NHS inform advises leg exercises such as flexing your ankles. The UK travel health service says people at increased risk "should seek advice from their health care provider and consider the use of properly fitted compression socks". Flight socks cut clots found on scans in trials, but no trial recorded a clot that caused symptoms, and most trials came from one research group; UK haematologists advise them mainly for people at the highest risk.

Sources 21, 25, 26, 27, 28

Strength work has the best evidence for neck painStrong evidence

For neck pain that lasts, a Cochrane review of 27 trials found moderate-quality evidence that strength training for the neck, shoulder blades and arms reduces pain by a moderate to large amount straight after treatment. In 198 adults working at least 30 hours a week with frequent neck and shoulder pain, 2 or 12 minutes a day of band training, 5 days a week, cut pain by 1.4 to 1.9 points out of 10 at 10 weeks. No trial has tested exercise for neck pain after flying.

Sources 29, 30

Lifting bags: keep them closeStrong evidence

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says keep a load close to your waist for as long as possible, avoid twisting, turn with your feet, and "If in doubt, seek advice or get help." Lifting cases to head height loaded the shoulders beyond its guidance in a lab study, so lift in two stages and keep the heaviest bags for the hold while your neck is sore (our suggestion).

Sources 31, 13

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

The 5 out of 10 rule, and the next morning is the testEmerging evidence

NHS inform's neck exercise advice: rate your pain from 0 to 10. During exercise, 0 to 3 is minimal and 4 to 5 is acceptable; 6 or more is too much. If it goes higher, do fewer repetitions, move more slowly or rest longer between movements.

Exercise should not make your neck worse overall. Soreness from a new exercise should ease quickly, and your neck should be no worse the next morning. Stop any exercise that makes your symptoms worse or causes new pain.

Arm symptoms are the exception. If an exercise sends pain, tingling or numbness further down your arm, or the extra symptoms last more than an hour afterwards, make the movement smaller or leave it out. (A hospital leaflet on nerve glides allows a short-lived rise in symptoms but not one lasting over an hour; the rest of this rule is this site's suggestion.)

Stop and get checked for dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble swallowing or any of the warning signs above.

For sleep (our suggestion): the morning is the test. Judge a new pillow or position over a week or two, as the pillow trials did, not one night. If you wake no worse or better, keep it; if waking pain is worse for 2 or 3 mornings running, go back to what you had. Move your neck gently before you get up rather than lying still in pain: NHS inform advises moving it for short periods every hour.

For the flight (our suggestion, built on the rules above and NHS inform's advice to move your neck every hour): move your neck gently every hour you're awake on the plane, and judge the flight by the next morning. Stiffness up to about 5 out of 10 that eases as you move after landing is fine. If your neck is worse the next morning, recline more and use a pillow or rolled jumper that stops your head dropping next time, and break up screen time. Pain, tingling or numbness spreading down an arm, a sudden severe headache, double vision or slurred speech aren't pain-rule questions, and nor are pain or swelling in one leg or sudden breathlessness: see the warning signs.

Sources 32, 2, 33

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Settle: keep it moving, in your seat and on the ground

About the first 2 weeks. Gentle turns, tilts and nods little and often, as NHS inform advises, heat for stiffness, and the seated moves on any long journey. After a jolt, a fall or a falling bag, start only once the injury warning signs have been ruled out.

Neck CARs (controlled articular rotations) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoNeck CARs (controlled articular rotations)Beginner · No equipment

Separate turns first, then tilts and nods: turn as far as is comfortable, hold 2 s, return. 2 to 3 each way at a time, every hour or so, adding 1 or 2 every few days towards about 10 · As in our neck pain when turning your head and driving guides (NHS inform's turn and pacing). In your seat every hour on a flight (our suggestion); full circles wait until stage 3; stop for dizziness or tingling into an arm, as the move page says

Lying chin tuck demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoLying chin tuckBeginner · No equipment

5 to 10 gentle holds of up to 10 s, once or twice a day · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide. It can be done lying in bed on waking after a night flight

Harder: Chin tuck

Thoracic rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoThoracic rotationBeginner · No equipment

6 rotations per side, moving with the breath · The move page's dose. Turning through the upper back takes some of the turn off the neck (our reasoning)

Easier: Side-lying open book · Harder: World's greatest stretch

Shoulder rolls demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoShoulder rollsBeginner · No equipment

10 to 15 slow circles each way, once or twice through · From the move page's dose (an editorial starting point). A few in your seat each hour on a flight (our suggestion)

Harder: Shoulder CARs (controlled articular rotations)

Upper trap release demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoUpper trap releaseBeginner · No equipment

2 holds of 20 to 30 s each side, only if it eases · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide (the move page uses 2 slow holds of 30 seconds). The head's weight only, no pulling

Easier: Side neck stretch

Treadmill walking demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

5 to 10 min, several times a day · Editorial, as our driving guides use it. A walk up the aisle on the plane counts (our suggestion)

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Move on when: Turning is full or nearly full through the day, and you've woken no worse for about a week (editorial, as our sleeping and turning guides use it).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Build: endurance for the neck and shoulder blades

About weeks 2 to 6: neck and shoulder strength 2 or 3 days a week, with the band raise on most days. The moves and doses are our neck pain when turning your head guide's, with the 2-minute band trial's dose.

Isometric neck holds (four-way) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoIsometric neck holds (four-way)Beginner · No equipment

3 to 5 holds of 5 to 10 s each direction, light effort, building to 5 holds of 10 s at about half effort · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide. Never push into pain or dizziness, as the move page says

Easier: Chin tuck · Harder: Chin tuck with head lift

Chin tuck with head lift demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoChin tuck with head liftIntermediate · No equipment

3 to 5 holds of 5 s, building to 10 holds of 10 s · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide

Easier: Chin tuck

Band lateral raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBand lateral raiseBeginner · A band

2 minutes a day, 5 days a week, progressing the band · The dose from a trial in 198 adults with frequent neck and shoulder pain, as our neck guides use it

Harder: Dumbbell lateral raise

3D demoBand rowBeginner · A band + An anchor point

3 sets of 10 to 15, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure · From the move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Check the band and the anchor before every set, as the move page says

Harder: Supported single-arm dumbbell row

Side-lying open book demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSide-lying open bookBeginner · No equipment

8 to 10 slow openings each side, pausing 2 seconds at the end · From the move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Let your head turn with your chest, within comfort (our turning guide's suggestion)

Harder: Thoracic rotation

Prone Y-T-W raises demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoProne Y-T-W raisesBeginner · No equipment

5 to 8 of each shape, 2 rounds · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide. Keep the neck long and the face down, as the move page says

Easier: Wall angel · Harder: Bent-over reverse fly

Move on when: The holds and raises are comfortable, and a long day of travel leaves your neck no worse the next morning (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Strengthen: shoulders and upper back, lifting bags, and long flights

From about week 6, 2 or 3 days a week, then twice a week for the long term: the strength work with the best evidence for neck pain that goes on, full neck circles, and lifting a bag to shoulder height and above, while long flights come back by the written steps below. No trial has tested how flying comes back after neck pain, so the order is our suggestion.

Dumbbell shrug demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell shrugBeginner · A dumbbell

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12, stopping with 2 or 3 reps in reserve · From the move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Straight up and down, not rolled, as the move page says

Harder: Snatch shrug

Supported single-arm dumbbell row demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSupported single-arm dumbbell rowIntermediate · A dumbbell + A bench or box

3 sets of 8 to 12 each side · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide

Easier: Incline ring row · Harder: Bent-over barbell row

Bent-over reverse fly demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBent-over reverse flyIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 10 to 12 · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide

Easier: Prone Y-T-W raises · Harder: Barbell rear-delt row

3D demoIsometric neck holds (four-way)Beginner · No equipment

3 holds of 10 s each direction at moderate effort · As in our neck pain when turning your head guide's later stage

Easier: Chin tuck · Harder: Chin tuck with head lift

3D demoNeck CARs (controlled articular rotations)Beginner · No equipment

3 slow circles each way, once or twice a day · From the move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Full circles once separate turns are comfortable, as the move page says

Shoulder press with a band demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoShoulder press with a bandBeginner · A band

3 sets of 8 to 12 · As in our shoulder pain when lifting your arm guide. Practice for lifting a bag to the locker with the neck relaxed (our reasoning); skip it if lifting your arm hurts

Harder: Push press

Move on when: Our suggestion: an overnight or long-haul flight, with a nap and lifting your own bag, leaves your neck no worse the next morning. Keep the strength work going twice a week, because neck pain often comes back. If it flares, go back to the stage 1 moves for a few days, not a collar or rest.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

On the plane (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show these. They come from the NHS, NHS inform and the UK travel health service, with small lab studies; where a step is our suggestion, it says so. None has been tested as a treatment for neck pain.

1. An aisle seat makes getting up easier; a window seat gives you a side to lean on, but went with more clots in one small study (our suggestion).
2. Before you sleep, recline a little and sit right back so your head rests on the headrest; raise the headrest's side wings if your seat has them (our suggestion).
3. A neck pillow or a rolled jumper, if it stops your head dropping forward or sideways; take it off if it pushes your head forward or your chin up (our suggestion).
4. Hold your phone or tablet higher, prop your elbows, and look up and away every few minutes (our suggestion).
5. Every 30 minutes while seated, "bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes", as the NHS says, and add a few gentle neck turns and shoulder rolls; NHS inform advises moving your neck every hour.
6. Walk around whenever you can.
7. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, drink water and don't drink lots of alcohol, as the NHS advises.
8. If you're at higher risk of a clot (see the warning signs), speak to a GP, nurse or pharmacist before the trip, and ask about properly fitted flight socks.

Sources 21, 2, 25, 26, 6, 7, 10, 34

Bags and after landing (written steps)

These come from the HSE and the NHS; our suggestions are labelled.

1. Keep bags light, lift cases close to you in two stages facing the locker, turn with your feet, and get help if in doubt, as the HSE says.
2. Leave the heaviest lifting to someone else while your neck is sore (our suggestion).
3. After landing, gentle movement and heat, as the NHS suggests.
4. Don't drive from the airport until you can turn your head to look round: the NHS says don't do anything that could be dangerous because you can't move your neck, such as driving.
5. Watch for the clot signs in the warning signs for a few weeks after a long flight, especially the first 2.

Sources 31, 3, 16

Flying comes back (written steps)

No trial has tested how flying comes back after neck pain. These steps are our suggestion.

1. A day flight first, staying awake, with neck moves every hour.
2. Then a flight with a nap: reclined, head supported, a pillow or rolled jumper.
3. Then an overnight or long-haul flight, lifting your own bag once the stage 3 press is comfortable.
4. If it flares, the stage 1 moves for a few days, not a collar or rest.

Source 2

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Dozing bolt upright with your head dropping forward	It is hard to hold the head when the muscles relax in sleep, and upright sleep was shorter and lighter in a sleep-lab study.	Recline a little, head back on the headrest, with a pillow or rolled jumper that stops the drop.
A neck pillow that pushes your head forward	A pillow should steady the head, not push it, and no study shows a pillow prevents neck pain.	Take it off, or use a rolled jumper behind your head or under your chin.
Hours looking down at a phone or laptop	It bent the neck further and was less comfortable in cabin seat studies.	Screen higher, elbows propped, and look up every few minutes; chin tucks with a head lift build endurance.Try: Chin tuck with head lift
Staying in one position for the whole flight	NHS inform says avoid staying in one position too long and move your neck every hour.	Gentle turns, tilts and shoulder rolls each hour.Try: Shoulder rolls
Swinging a heavy bag into the locker	Lifting to head height loads the shoulders and neck.	Lift in two stages, close to you, or get help; the band shoulder press trains it.Try: Shoulder press with a band
A soft collar after the flight	The NHS says don't wear one unless a doctor tells you to.	Gentle movement, little and often.
Full neck circles while your neck is sore	The move page says start with small separate turns, tilts and nods before full circles.	Separate turns, tilts and nods first; full circles in stage 3.
Pulling your head into a stretch to unlock it	Pulling the head to the end of its range is a lot for a sore neck, as our neck pain guides explain.	Let the head's weight do the work, as in the upper trap release.Try: Upper trap release
Asking for a scan to find out what the flight did	Disc bulges are normal on scans in people without pain.	Get checked if a warning sign appears.

Routines to follow

Neck and shoulder stretches

Eight gentle neck and shoulder stretches for desk stiffness, done standing or seated in ten minutes.

10 minBeginner8 movesWall

Neck and shoulder strength routine

Deep neck holds and shoulder-blade strength in under 20 minutes: one of the best-supported kinds of exercise for a stiff, sore neck.

18 minBeginner11 movesBand, anchor point

Upper back mobility routine

A 12-minute routine for a stiff upper back and rounded shoulders: chin tucks, wall angels, Y-T-W raises and open books.

12 minBeginner8 movesFoam roller, wall

10-minute desk yoga routine: seated and standing

Ten minutes of yoga at your desk, no mat needed: slow breathing, neck, shoulder, wrist and spine moves in your chair, then standing poses with a hand on the desk.

10 minBeginner13 movesBench or box, wall

Calf pump exercises for varicose veins and heavy legs

A 15-minute calf pump routine for varicose veins and heavy, swollen legs: ankle pumps, calf raises, a brisk walk, calf stretches and legs up to finish.

15 minBeginner10 movesBench or box, wall

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my neck hurt after flying?

Usually it's ordinary neck pain from hours in one position, dozing upright with your head dropping, and looking down at a screen. In a mock-up cabin, the back of the neck was among the most uncomfortable spots. It isn't a sign of damage, and it usually eases as you move.

How long does a stiff neck after a flight last?

Often a day or two. NHS inform says most neck problems improve within 8 weeks, with the biggest change in the first couple of weeks. See a GP if it isn't easing after a few weeks.

How can I sleep on a plane without hurting my neck?

Recline a little, sit right back so your head rests on the headrest, and use a pillow or rolled jumper that stops your head dropping forward or sideways. An upright seat gave less and lighter sleep in a small lab study, partly because the head is hard to hold in sleep. Move your neck gently when you wake.

Do neck pillows work?

They may help comfort, but no study shows they prevent neck pain. In two tiny lab studies, a pillow that supported the chin from the front steadied the head, and a headrest made passengers expect more comfort without changing neck muscle activity. If a pillow pushes your head forward, it isn't helping.

Why does my neck hurt when I look at my phone on the plane?

Looking down bends your neck further, and it was less comfortable in a cabin seat study, more so for games than reading. Hold the phone higher, prop your elbows and look up often.

Can a long flight cause a blood clot?

It can, rarely: a flight of over 4 hours roughly doubles the risk, but the absolute risk is about 1 in 4,600 to 6,000 long-haul flights in healthy people. Bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes every 30 minutes and walk when you can, as the NHS advises. Pain or swelling in one leg needs a same-day check.

Is it the cabin pressure?

No study has tested whether cabin pressure causes neck pain. Hours in one position and dozing upright explain it better.

Can you fly with a neck injury?

After an injury, check the warning signs first and ask the clinician who saw you. With ordinary neck pain, flying is fine: recline, support your head and move it every hour. Don't drive from the airport until you can turn your head to look round.

Should I wear a neck brace or collar?

No: the NHS says don't wear one unless a doctor tells you to, because it's better to keep your neck moving. NHS inform advises gentle movement, little and often, instead.

What exercises help neck pain after flying?

Gentle turns, tilts and shoulder rolls first, then strength for the neck, shoulders and upper back, which has the best evidence for neck pain that lasts. Even 2 minutes a day of band raises reduced neck and shoulder pain in workers.

When should I worry?

Call 999 for a sudden, severe headache, double vision, slurred speech, a drooping face or weakness, for chest pain spreading to your neck or arm, or for sudden breathlessness after a flight. Get a same-day check for new pins and needles, numbness or weakness in an arm, or pain or swelling in one leg. In the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.