Post-Holiday Recovery: Easing Back Pain from Travel and Festivities

Holidays are great, aren’t they? Whether you’re travelling to Cornwall or Costa Rica, the anticipation and excitement is as much for the time off as it is for the travel. That little taste of freedom and the break from the 9-5 grind. It’s joyous. But as amazing as the annual getaway can be, it can also leave our bodies feeling a little bit broken afterwards! Especially as we get a little bit older. Whether it’s sitting on a plane for many hours, being hunched over a steering wheel, sleeping in unfamiliar beds, lugging heavy luggage, or having a genuine adventure – kayaking, ziplining, hiking through the rainforest – it’s usually the back that suffers.

So, what can you do to get yourself back on form once the holiday season is over? Our physiotherapists have a few tips to get you started.

Five Tips for Post-Holiday Recovery

Get moving – gently

Bullying yourself back into fitness after a holiday is never a good idea. Heavy workouts can do more harm than good. So, whether you’ve been doing too much or too little, it’s better to ease your body back into your usual routine. Start out with some light stretches and gentle exercise. A walk is perfect for getting you moving without overdoing things.

Stretch your spine

It doesn’t matter if it’s on a plane, beach, or sofa, sitting for too long is terrible for the back. It can compress your spine and tighten both your hip flexors and lower back. So, if you’re feeling achy, try doing a couple of simple stretches to relieve lower back tension.

• Start by lying on your back with both knees pulled to your chest. Hold this position for about 20 seconds.

• Then you can try rolling your knees from side to side, gently twisting your spine.
  

Hydrate and rebalance

Hydration might not seem like it has anything to do with pain. But your muscles are composed of at least 70% water. So, it only makes sense that if you’re dehydrated, your body will pay the price. And it’s annoyingly easy to dehydrate when you fly. Luckily, this is simple enough to fix. By making an effort to drink more water, you can help your body to feel better faster.  

Mind your posture

Experiencing the back-to-work slump? It can be hard not to slouch at your desk as reality once again pushes in on you. But poor working posture can make holiday aches and strains feel even worse. So, try to realign your workspace to give your spine a fighting chance.  

•  Feet flat on the floor

• Screen at eye level

• Lumbar support for the lower back
  

Book a physiotherapy assessment

Sometimes post-holiday pains simply don’t fade. It may be that the holiday was a catalyst to reveal an underlying issue or that you’ve injured yourself while away. But if your pain doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, visiting a physiotherapy clinic can help. They’ll not only help you find out what’s going on with your body. They’ll provide guidance, tailored exercises and manipulation to get you feeling better.

We all bring souvenirs back from our holidays. But pain shouldn’t be one of them. With a little bit of self-care, you can help your body feel better. But if you find that those annoying niggles don’t go away, your physiotherapist will always be there to help.

Are you looking for physiotherapy in London? Get in touch with Ultra Sports Clinic.