In August our waiting room fills up with a very particular kind of complaint: no acute accident, no sports injury — but a back that “just feels strange” after the journey. The cause is almost never a single event but the sum of things: hours of sitting, an unfamiliar bed, a suitcase that is too heavy, and suddenly much more walking barefoot and lying down than usual. The back notices the change — and speaks up.
Why the back in particular reacts
The spine doesn't particularly like two things: long periods without movement and sudden, unfamiliar loads. When travelling it usually gets both at once — hours of sitting in the car or plane, followed by hauling suitcases, lying on the beach with a hollow back or sleeping night after night on an unfamiliar, often too soft mattress.
None of this is dangerous in itself. It becomes a problem when several factors come together and the already irritated muscles get no time to recover.
The four most common travel triggers
- Long periods of sitting — cars and planes force a posture that hardly any spine likes for hours, especially with a backrest that is reclined too far or too upright
- The suitcase jerk — lifting heavy luggage with one arm or heaving it out of the boot with a bent back is the classic lead-up to acute lumbago
- Unfamiliar mattresses — too soft, too hard or simply different: the back often needs two or three nights to adjust
- Change in activity — from office chair to deckchair and beach walks: an unfamiliar load for muscles that haven't been used like this for a long time
Preparation: what you can do before you leave
A back that has been kept moving in recent weeks copes with the journey much better than one that goes straight from the office into the plane. A few days before the trip, one or two short mobility sessions are worthwhile — cat-cow, seated trunk rotations, a few lunges. It takes ten minutes and makes the tissue more adaptable.
On the way: car and plane
In the car
- Take a short break every 1.5–2 hours — get out, walk a few steps, stretch your back
- Adjust the backrest so the natural S-shape of the spine is maintained — not reclined too far
- A small cushion or a rolled-up jacket in the lower back noticeably supports the lumbar spine
On the plane
- If possible, get up briefly every 45–60 minutes and walk a few steps in the aisle
- While seated: circle your feet alternately, roll your shoulders, gently turn your upper body to the side
- Stowing hand luggage under the seat in front instead of the overhead locker saves unnecessary lifting above head height
The suitcase: lift properly instead of suffering properly
The classic travel back pain doesn't happen on the journey but when loading and unloading. Three simple rules prevent most cases:
- Lift with your legs — bend your knees, keep your back straight, pull the suitcase up close to your body
- Never lift one-armed and twisted — turning under load is the most common cause of acute lumbago
- Spread the weight — better to carry two medium-weight suitcases than one very heavy one with one arm
At your destination: the first days are decisive
An unfamiliar mattress, an unusual pillow, much more lying on the beach than usual — the back needs a few days to adjust. If you notice the mattress is too soft, a folded towel under the mattress at hip level can add some stability. On the beach it helps to change position regularly instead of staying in the same lying position for hours — a walk in between does your back more good than even the most comfortable lounger.
When should you see a physiotherapist?
Most travel-related back pain is harmless and eases within a few days. Come to us or get checked promptly if:
- the pain lasts longer than a week or gets worse
- a sudden, stabbing pain occurred when lifting (suspected lumbago)
- you notice tingling, numbness or pain radiating into the leg
- the pain comes with fever, weight loss or pain at night (rare, but to be taken seriously)
With acute lumbago: movement is usually better than holding still. We help with manual therapy, targeted mobilisation and an exercise programme that stabilises the back again — often just a few treatments are enough to be pain-free again.
Good preparation makes travel easier
Travelling should be relaxing, not something to recover from. With a little planning — regular breaks, the right lifting technique and a few minutes of mobilisation a day — your back arrives just as relaxed as you do. And if it does twinge: we are here for you after your holiday.
