#MckenzieMDT #backpain #sciatica #herniateddisk #bulgingdisk #mckenziemethod #lowerbackpainrelief #healthwatcherspt #reston #herndon #holidayseason #posture
Holiday Season is here…& it is indeed our favorite time of the year. The last thing we need at this time is to have an episode of back, neck, knee or shoulder pain that puts a damper on our holiday plans. I know you wouldn’t want that & I certainly wouldn’t want that for you or your family. So as promised, let’s dive into some easy tips that can help you potentially avoid aches & pains whether you are driving to visit family, taking a flight to see friends or just hosting holidays at your home this year….
Tip No. 1
Do not put Exercising on the back-burner
Now I know most of you (and I have been guilty of this as well) tend to put our good exercise habits on a short pause during holiday season & hope to resume when things are “back to normal”. But let me tell you things are almost never back to normal & before you know this short pause can turn into a really long hiatus for which you will hate yourself later.
So instead of taking a complete break, make sure to insert exercises or activity in short bursts somewhere in your day. Even 20-30 active minutes each day is better than a complete break. So your joints do not fall into complete stiffness and your aches/pains do not resurface soon!
Tip No. 2
Make sure you carry your postural pillows in the car or flight
Now I have referred in one of my previous blogs that when it comes to posture, there is no one size fits all. If you haven’t read that blog yet, here is the link but please finish this one first. Hence, I use the term postural pillow rather loosely on purpose as everyone requires different postural adjustments & whatever they maybe in your case, continue those even on travel.
Example: Most of my patients are prescribed Standard Density Original Mckenzie Lumbar Roll & I always advise them to carry it on their flights, cars etc. There is no break from being in an ideal posture. Infact, that should be the norm.
Tip No. 3
Carry the light exercise products with you
Now sometimes carrying your exercise bands, short foam roller or a pair of running shoes might be all the reminder & motivation you need to keep up with some activity while you travel to visit family/friends or just taking a vacation.
Remember, it does not have to get fancy. A quick 20 minute exercise routine or a jog/run might be enough to kickstart your day right!
Tip no. 4
Travel light
Now I know the airlines are kinda telling us this not so subtly using their restrictive baggage policies but those who are driving instead of flying, resist the urge to pack everything as all that heavy lifting after being in the car or flights for several hours will not do you much good.
An acute episode of back pain, sciatica or shoulder pain is pretty common after a long trip and you may wonder why!
Tip No. 5
Take breaks from Sitting
Wherever possible, try to take breaks from sitting by walking around, doing your exercises (hint: all my clients should know theirs) or standing up. These micro-breaks offer your joints a much needed change in positions that they so desperately crave.
Your joints are not designed to be in one position for several hours and hence they will thank you for these breaks!
Tip No. 6
Take Frequent Walks
Now I know it is getting cold in some parts of the country especially on the east coast but trying to squeeze in a quick 20-30 minute brisk walk, jog or run could give you the much needed exercise for the day, endorphin high and set you up right for all the holiday fun.
And the best part is you could do these anywhere and everywhere and not much is needed except a good pair of running shoes!
Tip No. 7
Have a comfortable pair of shoes at hand
Now this applies especially to all the lovely ladies and yes we all love our dress shoes but make sure to have just one pair of comfortable sneakers (could be your running shoes too- hit two birds with one stone) handy so you could switch easily when the party dulls down and you are ready to get comfortable.
You will be so happy that you have them and it will save you from a lot of impending aches and pains later!
So here you go, these are our 7 easy tips to stay healthy & avoid aches/pains this holiday season.
Want to learn more?
If you or someone you know experiences this very familiar neck and/or shoulder pain or stiffness, you could request our Free Guide on 5 tips to relieve Back Pain & Sciatica right here!
If you would like to take things to the next level, you could fill out our short Inquiry Form here to see if you qualify for a Free Discovery Session with your specialist!
Found this article helpful and would like to hear more about our upcoming blog posts, subscribe to our newsletter right here. If you know a friend could benefit from reading this blog, feel free to share this article with them. They will thank you for it!
We also know not everyone is ready to commit to regular physical therapy appointments, and that’s why we offer our Free Information Guide! This Guide is for people in our community who want really valuable, expert information about their Back Pain or Sciatica problems. We know it’s confusing out there with all of the information floating around on Google and Facebook, and this is a valuable first step towards getting some real answers for your problem.
PS – If you found this information helpful, please share this with a friend or on your Facebook feed.