August 15, 2025

We decided it was time to visit my son and his wife (and especially the grandkids!) and arraigned for the flight to Seattle, Washington.  We previously took advantage of a direct flight when we lived in Wichita, Kansas.  The flight was set up to quickly fly air manufacturers and reps between their factories in both cities.  Even after moving to Arkansas, we took this flight since both mom and my brother lived in Wichita.  We would drive to see them and then fly direct to Seattle.  This time we decided to fly from the regional airport next to us rather than drive 5 hours prior to the 3-1/2 hour flight.  The difficulty with our local airport is they only fly to big hubs and then you still need the same amount of time to get to your location.  That meant we took a short flight to Dallas/Fortworth, had a quick layover, and still had the 3-1/2 hour flight to Seattle.  This was complicated further as our puddle jumper got in 20 minutes late and left us only 35 minutes to catch our next flight (no stress here).  Luckily, that flight had difficulty boarding passengers and we easily made the next leg.  We arrived just after my son flew into the same airport and had an exciting evening watching grandkid activities (football and cheer).  We went to bed early after the long day, but both Melissa and I both woke up in the middle of the night with leg cramps.

When I went online, I found that long flights can result in leg cramps.  Everyday leg cramps are often caused by muscle strain, exercise, or dehydration, but long flights can introduce extra complications that increase the risk of cramps.  The main cause is long periods of sitting still in cramped conditions. Even when sitting for long periods at work or at home, we have the freedom to move and stretch.  Sitting on a long flight has limited leg room that reduces the natural muscle contractions in your legs crucial for pumping blood back to your heart.  This causes sluggish circulation, allows blood to pool, and makes muscles far more vulnerable to cramping.  Long flights can also create dehydration from the dry cabin air (humidity is often 10 to 20% compared to 40 to 50% on land) and pressure changes during take-off and landing.  This makes your muscles more prone to painful cramps.  However, there are ways to help prevent painful cramps.

I found a site that listed five ways to prevent the painful cramps we both experienced.  The first is to start hydrating 1-2 days pre-flight, wear loose fitting clothing, and consider wearing compression socks to promote better blood flow.  Once on the flight, make it a priority to get up and move around the cabin at least once every hour and resist the urge to cross your legs (impedes blood flow).  There are simple exercises you can perform to maintain circulation.  These include ankle circles, foot pumps, knee lifts, calf raises, and leg extensions.  Next, find ways to stay hydrated while in the air by drinking at least 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of fluid every hour you are in the air.  Finally, avoid alcoholic beverages (a diuretic) as these encourage your body to lose more fluids and increase your risk of cramps.  Drinks with high sugar content (fruit juices and soda) can also pull water from your system as your body tries to process it.  While not glamorous, plain water is best for preventing leg cramps.

THOUGHTS: When Melissa and I woke up with cramps we both immediately thought of grabbing an electrolyte drink which provides minerals in your body fluids that carry an electric charge.  My son is a fitness aficionado, so I figured he would have something.  I looked through the drinks stored in the garage and checked the refrigerator, but to no avail.  Getting moving seemed to help.  When he got up, I asked, and he had several powdered remedies rather than a liquid version.  Between the electrolytes and moving the cramps went away.  Now that I know the secret to avoiding cramps, I am ready for our return flights.  Like most things, planning in advance and proper execution can make life easier.  Act for all.  Change is coming and it starts with you.