Traveling With Lower Back Pain – From Someone Who Broke His Back

Stretching and light glute activity greatly help hip mobility after a flight or long drive, and it can prevent symptoms from flaring. Definitely keep the focus on your hips and glutes.

On a recent trip to One & Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, I was stoked to learn that the resort partners with Bodyism, a London-based health and fitness facility known for its success with spine and joint injuries (and also works with A-list clients like Elle McPherson). I booked a private training session with Jamie Wendt, director of Bodyism global and performance specialist.

Considering Maldives is such a long haul, Jamie typically sees one out of three guests who arrive with back problems. “Back prehabilitation—a plan to prevent possible injuries—is the secret to avoiding back pain while traveling,” Jamie says. “Vacationers need to make sure they mobilize their hips and upper back and strengthen their glutes and core. Getting the hip and upper back mobile can take pressure off the lower back after a long flight or sitting at a desk all day. We make sure our clients switch on the glutes and core to take pressure off the back.”

BTW: This is one of my favorite back braces (yes I have several). It’s less than $50 on Amazon, one of the cheaper good ones I found.

While the “Superman” and hip extensions are common exercises for chronic back pain sufferers, Jamie showed me simple exercises that my physical therapist never did, including the Y and T (standing in a high squat and raising your arms forward and above so your body forms a Y or T, repeating each 10 times).

If you have a bad back, you really should learn how to travel with lower back pain, so hopefully you incorporate exercises.

When I travel, I generally carry a backpack for my laptop, notebook, toiletries,  basically anything I could fit in it. Since my accident, I bought a smaller backpack to help slash the load from my shoulders for less impact on my lower back.

I currently use the Hercules Laptop Bag by ECBC, a slim, water-repellant backpack that’s still in great shape after two years. My current physical therapist also suggested I make the straps super tight and fitted, so it doesn’t weigh down hard. Great suggestion! I’m still doing it.

Luggage should also be light. Sure, they may have wheels, but consider how many times you lift it during a trip (putting it in an overhead bin on a flight, placing it on a luggage rack in your hotel room, etc). While I’m at it, lift with your legs, not your back! If you do have a bad back and need to travel, definitely be careful! It’s why I really would like you to carry light, and it’s one of the best ways on traveling with lower back pain.

You can’t rely on airlines’ pillows as they offer little comfort these days, and it’s not always comfortable wearing a back brace (this one by Sparthos is great if you need one).

I have my own special pillow for sitting but also helpful is a jacket or thick sweater for back support (feel free to take your own pillow too, but don’t leave it on the plane! I used to do that all the time). The lumbar support truly helps cushioning, straightens the spine, prevents slouching and alleviates pressure.

Guests pick a themed wellness plan, and I chose Optimal Performance, which helps those recovering from accidents and injuries. Every day, I had one-on-one physiotherapy, a massage and a program tailored to my condition, including kinesthetics, gyrotonic and neuromuscular activation.

It was the first time since my accident I can remember waking up without any back pain. While the trip involved plenty of physical therapy, it was still a vacation. Chiva Som has all the features of a resort with a beachside location, relaxing pool, excellent Western and Thai cuisine, and an amazing spa. Out of the dozen wellness resorts I’ve visited in the past few years, it was the most effective for my back.

I also spent a week at Ananda in the Himalayas, which is Oprah’s favorite resort, and again, no back pain for weeks!

Pilates helps strengthen muscles, improves flexibility and toughens your core. Every time I take a Pilates class, I let the instructor aware of my two herniated discs so, during the class, he/she can advise me on alternative positions when something might be too risky for my back. Because Pilates is so core-focused, it naturally helps spine health and posture, which has an impact on your back.

Pilates isn’t offered frequently at hotels and resorts, though concierge has directed me to nearby facilities and even gyms that charge a nominal one-time fee. I don’t recommend downloading Pilates exercise videos or practicing it on your own if you’re not experienced. Either way, Pilates is great to help traveling with lower back pain.

I’m a firm believer that you don’t truly visit a destination without exploring the culinary scene. Food is part of the culture. But I still try to balance out my meals with healthy items. Obviously, I’m going straight for that steak in Argentina, street food in Thailand and pasta in Italy but always in moderation.

“Diet can indirectly have an affect on your back,” says Bodyism’s Jamie Wendt. “Eating the incorrect foods can cause inflammation and lower intestinal bloating, which can switch off your core and result in an overused, sore back.”

Minimize the intake of high-carb and processed foods, both of which fuel inflammation. One thing that also helps, especially in tropical destinations, is easing back on water. It’s beneficial to drink tons of water while traveling but I like to offset the water bloat by eating cucumbers and tomatoes, both of which are 95 percent water.

So that’s it! If you have a bad back and need to travel, these are my tips on traveling with lower back pain. I hope they helped!