HOUSTON – Lower back pain is one of the most common things that family medicine doctors see this time of year.
Dr. Mike Ren, Baylor College of Medicine Family Medicine, said whether you’re carrying heavy luggage, or gifts or sitting for long periods on an airplane, it’s important to do your best to care for your back.
PACK LIGHT
You might have a bag that can pack the airlines’ 50 lb. limit but Dr. Ren said, don’t push it! Pack light.
USE LUGGAGE WITH HANDLES ON ALL SIDES
Make sure your bag has handles on all sides, so when you have to use them to lift the bag, you’re evenly distributing weight without throwing the luggage or your back in weird ways.
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USE EXTRA PILLOWS
“Back pillows [on long flights] can certainly help if you don’t have one of those, sometimes I just stuff my jacket behind to provide some lumbar support. Oftentimes we can ask the flight attendant, and they might be able to give you a blanket or a small pillow to help as well. Other than that, just getting up frequently,” Dr. Ren said, “Getting up every couple of hours, going to the bathroom, stretching your legs, standing up and just getting in a different position so that way your back is not so stiff.”
Once you’re at the destination, the hotel bed might be the next big offender. Ask if the hotel can provide extra pillows or even a different mattress.
“Calling the hotel and sometimes you can request for like a firmer mattress. I know some hotels will do that, but others don’t,” he said.
PREVENT THE PAIN
“It is important to have some baseline strength. So, I’m not saying you have to go to the gym every day and deadlift, you know, 100, 100 reps of like 300 pounds. But having some baseline core strength will really help because then the muscles in your core and your back will help support your spine and will help mitigate some of that back pain,” Ren said.
TREATMENT
If you wake up in pain over the holidays, a heating pad might be the best treatment. The heat will alleviate stiff muscles caused by sitting too long or sleeping on a different mattress.
Ice will help with inflammation like with an athletic injury.
