 TravelRest - The Ultimate Inflatable Travel Pillow $26.95 |  Eagle Creek Travel Gear Comfort Travel Pillow $17.99 - $20.00 |  Hed Bed Inflatable Travel Pillow $12.95 |
 Kid's Travel Pig Pillow $13.00 |  Travel Pillow for Kids - Lamb $18.99 |  Bucky Utopia Neck Pillow With Buckybag $23.90 - $29.95 |
 Plush Neck Rest Dog 11.5" $15.49 |  Plush Neck Rest Cow 11.5" $15.49 |  Hello Kitty Portable Travel Neck Pillow: Pink $39.99 |
 iPod/MP3 Pillow $14.95 |  Travel Smart Travel Pillow - Gray $5.88 |  Sky View Pillow $20.00 |
 RoadPro RP2805 Suede/Tan Neck Support Pillow with Memory Foam $14.71 |  IMAK Happineck, Orthopedic Support Pillow, Blue $19.99 |
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 NEW Tempur Pedic Neck Travel Pillow $37.99 |  New Travel Three Kit Pillow+ Eyecover+ Earphone U Neck $.51 |  Contour Twist Massage Travel Neck Pillow Ecru Cover $14.99 |
 Travel Inflatable Neck Pillow Car Cushion COMFORT Quest $.01 |  TRAVEL NECK PILLOW FREE SHIPPING $7.00 |  FP Beach of Spa Neck Pillow for Travel or Home 41x30cm $.99 |
 Pillow Package Travel Pattern Bear Neck Book Commuter $.99 |  Travel Neck Pillow Head Rest ~Penguin~New $8.00 |  Travel Neck Pillow Head Rest ~Monkey~New $8.00 |
 New Cow Shape Soft Neck Rest Car Travel Pillow $.99 |  New Panda Shape Soft Neck Rest Car Travel Pillow $.99 |  Inflatable head/neck air/car rest travel PILLOW $2.99 |
 BNIB Korjo Inflatable Travel / Neck Pillow $9.09 |  Soft PENGUIN Microfiber Travel Neck Pillow Head Cushion $.99 |  Soft FROG Microfiber Travel Neck Pillow Head Cushion $.99 |
 "Neck Bone" Travel Pillow by Carway $2.24 |  air pillow Inflatable travel pillow cusion support neck $.99 |  U-Shaped Inflatable Neck Rest Air Travel Pillow Cushion $4.49 |
 Neck support my pillow for travel Brookstone Navy Blue $11.49 |  Light blue neck pillow for travel $5.99 |  NEW Memory Foam Cotton U Pillow Travel Neck Rest Pillow $17.25 |
 Cozy Traveler Set Travel Car Neck Support Pillow NEW $23.99 |  Travel/Neck Pillow $10.00 |  Memory Form Neck Cushion Rest Car Air Travel U-Pillow $16.89 |
Travel Can Be a Pain in the Neck - Not All Travel Pillows Created Equal
Recently, many airlines have announced they will no longer provide pillows on their flights. This has many a traveler looking for alternatives. Good thing. In addition to the questions of sanitation and hygiene, those pillows were largely useless.
As a licensed chiropractor, I see many patients who return from traveling with all sorts of new ailments and re-injured old ones. Usually, the injury occurs during the flight, due to long periods of sitting uncomfortably. The right travel pillow will not only allow you to relax, which offers its own health benefits, but help prevent soreness or even injury.
During the day, the postural muscles in your neck are in contraction, to support your head. When you relax, your neck muscles relax with you.
When you are lying in bed, gravity helps keep your head and body aligned. When you are upright, like when sitting in an airline chair, gravity is your enemy. Especially, if you are trying to relax.
The standard horseshoe shaped travel pillow has no support under the chin. This allows your head to fall forward when you start to relax. Standard travel pillows also have excess padding in the back. This padding is largely unneeded since the high-back airline chair is there for support, much like your bed supports you when you are lying down. Making matters worse, this unnecessary padding pushes your head forward even further accentuating the lack of support in front.
The weight of your head is now putting stress on your neck. Not only will you be uncomfortable and unable to rest, you'll likely end up tired, sore, and perhaps injured.
Picture your head and neck alignment when you are lying in bed. You naturally place yourself in neutral alignment, minimizing stress on your spine and neck postural muscles. You want to mimic this alignment as much as possible when you are sitting upright. Hanging your head forward or cocking it to one side is not only uncomfortable, but places great strain on your spine and neck postural muscles.
The best memory foam travel pillow is one that provides full support, including under the chin. This support helps you maintain proper alignment while sitting upright. Posture = comfort.
Maintaining proper alignment while traveling or sleeping upright is not only important with regards to personal comfort, but vital in reducing stress, soreness and preventing injury.
So don't be concerned about the airline's cost cutting measures. View this as an opportunity to get a travel pillow that works.
About the Author
Dr. Neely earned her Chiropractic degree at Palmer College in San Jose, California. She honed her skills as a relief doctor in a number of Bay Area Chiropractic offices before becoming the sole proprietor of Marina Chiropractic on the corner of Chestnut & Scott Streets in San Francisco. Dr. Neely also holds an Honors degree in Kinesiology & a Bachelors degree in Education from Lakehead University in Ontario.
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