The summer holidays are upon us! A time to get away from routine, have fun and relax. According to Dr Charles Jones of the Chiropractic & Sports Medicine Clinic, statistics show that one in three people suffers from back pain whilst on holiday.

Dr Jones explains, “While vacations are good for us, beware of the health hazards - a combination of suitcases, sleep and sunloungers can play havoc with your spine.”  He continues, “There are a number of potential pitfalls both before and during your vacation which can lead to back pain.  All too often we injure ourselves as the body is out of its usual routine; just picking up a suitcase the wrong way or sleeping in a different bed in an awkward position can result in pain.  With a little forward planning many pitfalls can be avoided”.

Keep these tips in mind and you’ll be well on your way to a pain-free and enjoyable holiday!

Before you go….

• Suitcase selection – choose wisely and buy the lightest case possible that has wheels. Hard cases sometimes weigh a lot even with nothing in them.
• Two cases are better than one - If possible, take two light suitcases rather than one so you can distribute the weight more effectively.
• Push, don’t pull! Many wheeled cases encourage you to pull the case handle from behind but this makes the upper body/back twist. Instead, push the case in front of you.
• Get a good night’s sleep – travelling when tired increases your chances of injury, so make sure you sleep well the night before a flight and avoid rushing around.

Up, Up and Away….

• Flying high - drink plenty of soft drinks and NOT alcohol during the flight as this will cause dehydration, which can aggravate muscle pain.
• Air-exercise – you will be restricted to your seat for most of the flight but avoid stiffness by doing shoulder shrugs, buttock clenches and foot circles.

Arrivals…

• Avoid ‘travelators’ – get your joints moving quickly after a flight and walk through the terminal rather than opting for the easy option of a moving walkway.
• Round and round – ensure your bag is easily identifiable (e.g. knot a ribbon around the handle) to avoid lifting other people’s heavy cases off the carousel in error.
• Steer clear of trolleys – unless your case does not have wheels of its own, try not to use airport trolleys. Wonky wheels are common and you could hurt your back trying to correct a wayward trolley.

At Your Destination…

• Bed down at the hotel - When you get to your hotel and find the bed too hard, use a blanket or ask hotel staff for an extra duvet to put between you and the mattress. Firm beds are not always best, but it is easier to make a hard bed softer that a soft bed harder.
• Lounging around - if you are heading to the sun lounger in search of that perfect tan, try not to lie on your tummy with your back and neck arched back to read a book. Put the book on the floor and read over the edge of the sun bed as this should allow you to have your head and neck in a more neutral position.
• Exercise in safety – if keeping in shape is on your holiday agenda, ensure you have a full induction to the hotel gym equipment, just as you would at home.

We all know how painful a paper cut can be but it heals quickly. After surgery or medical intervention, the process takes somewhat longer, especially with abdominal surgery where muscles and nerves have been cut through to treat a problem.

Any changes in normal mobility are attributed to the sore wound taking time to heal, the loss of fitness levels during convalescence, or the lack of agility is blamed on the ageing process for no longer being able to do the things we used to do with ease, like bending down to tie shoe laces..

However these may just be excuses we make up for ourselves and a visit to the chiropractor could soon have you back to your usual mobility and the right exercises regime will restore your flexibility.

One such case is Lynn Al Redha.  A dressage (horseriding) professional and mother of four, Lynn underwent a full hysterectomy in January this year.  For four weeks after the operation she had to take life gently and suffered the effects of immediate menopause.  Used to being extremely fit, she began walking again and returned to riding just eight weeks after surgery, albeit without her usual vigour.

During this time she became aware of a low grade back pain which was constantly nagging at her.  Lynn took the view that perhaps she was overdoing things and that given time, it would go away.  It didn’t – it got worse and stiffness crept in.  She couldn’t get out of bed easily in the mornings and had trouble putting on her socks.  Although only 46, Lynn decided that it was due to hormone changes and she must be getting old.  “She saiys, “it was awful – my stomach felt like a blancmange.  I was all right if I stayed in one position, sitting or standing, but as soon as I moved, the back pain was debilitating.”

After nine months of suffering, to the point where it was affecting her life, Lynn finally visited Dr Charles Jones at the California Chiropractic and Sports Medicine Center for advice.  When she explained her problem, his first comment was “and why didn’t you come to see me sooner?”

Upon examination, Dr Charles found that Lynn’s pelvis was twisted and tilted and that she only had 70% mobility in her hips.  He went on to explain Lynn’s condition: “We often forget that everything in the body is connected.  The back muscles support the internal organs, while good core (stomach) muscles support the back.  When the the stomach muscles are cut in an operation, there is no contra support for the back, and therefore no stability.  The other muscles and tendons over-compensate and pull the pelvis out of line.  The back muscles don’t feel right and go into shock or spasm.  This in turn affects the joinst, and together with gravity, everything goes out of alignment.”

Over the course of half a dozen visits, Dr Charles helped realign Lynn’s pelvis and retrain the muscles to stabilise the back, along with specific therapy exercises.  Recognising that good dressage posture is dependent on strong core muscles, Dr Charles pointed out that when Lynn returned to her regular riding routine, she would not in fact be sitting straight even when she thought she was.

Lynn is now back in the saddle and well on the way to recovering her previous fitness levels.  “She said,”It was a relief to find out that I am not that old … yet! I have been riding all my life and fitness has always been very important to me.  I usually listen to my body but this time, I just made excuses and paid a painful penalty for it.  I recommend anyone who has had surgery of any kind, from a Caesarian to gall stones, to visit a chiropractor to check that everything is in alignment, and hope that others will take heed of my lesson, and avoid a very nasty back ache.”

Location of the California Chiropractic and Sports Medicine Center Dubai

Our Full Address:

Suite 2007 Al Razi Building # 64 Block A
Dubai Healthcare City
Dubai, U.A.E. United Arab Emirates
Phone: +9714 429 8292
Fax: +9714 429 8293

Out of clinic hours +971 50 589 0603

Clinic opening times: Saturday to Thursday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Chiropractic care is a drug- free, non surgical science.

Chiropractors look at the human body and give special attention to its physiological and biochemical aspects. A Chiropractor takes a complete mind, body and spirit overview, looking at a patients spinal and musculoskeletal structure, neurological activity, vascular system, nutritional habits, emotions, and environmental relationships.

Chiropractors in Dubai do not only treat the symptoms but look for the underlying causes of pain, with the aim of restoring our patients to their former good health.

At some point we will suffer any one, or a combination of the following:
Neck and Shoulder Pain
Lower Back Pain
Hip and Knee Pain
Wrist Pain
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Headaches
Foot Pain
TMJ Dysfunction ( Jaw Pain)
Tennis Elbow
Golfers Elbow