Looking After Your Back This Summer 

Over these next few weeks, many of us will be packing our bags for that long overdue holiday. If you’re heading abroad, camping, or attending one of the many festivals, we’re sharing our advice on how to best look after your back whilst on holiday…

Walking shoes

If you’re taking a more active holiday,take some good walking shoes that support your back. It sounds obvious, but if you are going to be doing a lot of walking or standing, you need a good pair of shoes that are going to support your joints. Flip flops are great in certain scenarios, but are they going to support you when you decide to hike, or if you’re standing on your feet at a festival all day or running around after the children?

Pillows

Where applicable, bring your own pillow! If you suffer from neck ache, this can sometimes be induced by the fact that you are using a different pillow, so try it on your next camping trip.

Carrying heavy loads.

Wear a back pack across both shoulders, and ideally, a good quality belt across your waist. The correct way to wear a back pack is for the belt to be tight so that the weight sits on your hips and the shoulder straps simply keep the pack against your back. If your shoulders are taking all of the weight then you will start to suffer from back and neck pain.

Driving.

This is all about seat positioning and how close you are to the steering wheel. You should be as upright as possible to prevent your head tilting forward, which puts strain on the neck and shoulders. In terms of seat height, your pelvis should be around the same height as your knees and your natural low back arch should be maintained. If it is lower, you will slump and lose the low back arch which will lead to strain being placed on ligaments and muscles in the back.

Don’t stop moving.

Try to keep moving if you suffer from back pain. The worst thing you can do is to stay sedentary – even if you’re on holiday! So ensure  you go for a walk and move a little, which will ease your pain. 

Keep stress to a minimum.

Tension, anxiety and stress can make you more likely to develop back pain and less likely to recover. Stress is very often invisible however, and nowadays is sadly accepted as part of a hectic lifestyle. Try to avoid stress where possible, switch off your mobile, work emails, and try to pre-plan as much as possible before your holiday to avoid stressful situations while you are away.

Most importantly, enjoy your holiday and your precious time with your family!

If you have a bit of a niggle and are thinking of going away soon, why not give us a ring on 01722 421 242 for an appointment to get it sorted before you go on holiday?

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