Lower Back Pain Ruins my holiday

I always get to a point toward the end of a holiday (just when I'm getting into the swing of things) and my back starts to tighten up. It makes every turn agony and this seriously ruins the enjoyment of my holiday. I am fit and run/swim every week so it's nothing to do with my fitness probably an old injury flaring up.

Is there anything I can do or product/support I can use so I can get through to the end of a holiday without the worry of this happening.

Cheers

We spend our whole lives learning how to tense up muscles and are never taught how to relax muscles. For me, it is important that I notice when I'm getting tensed up and stop until I've relaxed. It is so easy to tear something in the back and every time I've done it, there have been warnings I've ignored.

If it is just a muscle strain, regular ice packs should speed the repairs and heat prior to exercise loosens things up for me.

Trencher

I used get that all the time (not when skiing but everyday things) and I saw my doctor and he said it was due to my posture as I have my shoulders too far forwards. I keep them pushed back now and haven't had the pain since and it's become natural now so I have better posture.
Try it, hopefully it will help.

I used to suffer from back pain for many years. On the advice of a friend I started having lessons in the Alexander Technique. After a few lessons my pain was noticably less and my posture improved.
Trencher is right, we spend a lot of time tensed up. The Alexander Technique is a really good way of learning not only to release that tension but to *prevent* tension in the first place. This helps us move more easily and prevent pain brought about through mis/over use.

Oh, and you can apply it to improve your skiing!*
have a look at http://www.stat.org.uk and http://www.stat.org.uk/pages/skistory.htm

*running, swimming, walking etc.

Its all about posture, as the man says.

Dont slouch, keep your shoulders back, blah blah blah. I was having regular sessions (oo er) with a specialist a couple of years ago, with pain in the top of my back across the shoulder, and he told me 95% of back problems are caused by people sitting in front of computer screens in the wrong position. You need to sit straight and if possible have the screen higher than your eye level.

Unfortunately, I still find myself lying on the settee with the laptop on the foot stool 1 foot below me. Which probably explains why I get the odd twinge still. :roll:

I had a horrible lower back pain due to muscle spasms after a long illness. I just got a TENs machine (15 quid from a local pharmacy) and it is absolutely FANTASTIC. Works for dodgy ankles, knees, the works. Best money I ever spent - and that includes the £50 a month on gym membership to try and exercise my way out of various ailments!
E

Had this problem for years, went to a sports therapist and he found that it was actually... my leg muscles that were causing the back pain. a few hefty stretches saw it right. now i see him every 6 months and ive not had the problem since... touch wood!

There's something a bit odd here. The flare-up occurs only towards the end of a holiday.

So, maybe all the things that have been mentioned are in there, but, the one thing that is different on holiday is the bed. If your home bed is unusually hard or soft, then your sleeping posture will differ. The effects of this would accumulate during the week, and manifest itself towards the end of the week.