The holiday season is a time to indulge, celebrate, and connect with loved ones—but if you’re managing back pain, some holiday habits could leave you feeling worse.
What you eat, how you sit, and even how much water you drink can all impact your back.
The good news? A few simple changes can help you enjoy the festivities while keeping discomfort at bay.
Here are five common ways holiday habits may affect your back—and how to keep things balanced for a pain-free season.
1. Sugar and Inflammation
Holiday treats are everywhere—cookies, pies, and rich desserts.
While a little indulgence is fine, too much sugar can increase inflammation in your body, worsening pain and stiffness in your back.
How to Balance: Treat yourself in moderation and try adding anti-inflammatory foods to your meals, like berries, leafy greens, or walnuts.
These can help counter the effects of sugary snacks.
2. Dehydration from Salty Foods
Savory holiday dishes—like stuffing, gravy, and charcuterie boards—can pack in the salt.
Excess sodium can lead to dehydration, making your muscles tense and stiff, especially in your back.
How to Balance: Drink water consistently throughout the day and snack on water-rich foods like cucumbers or oranges to stay hydrated and ease muscle tension.
3. Overeating and Slouching
It’s easy to overeat at holiday feasts, but that bloated feeling often leads to slouching, which strains your spine and worsens back pain.
How to Balance: Opt for smaller portions and take breaks between servings.
Sit upright, engage your core, and keep your spine supported while enjoying your meal.
4. Missing Nutrient-Dense Foods
Holiday meals are full of comfort foods, but they’re not always packed with the nutrients your body needs for muscle and joint health.
A lack of magnesium, calcium, or vitamin D can leave you feeling achy and stiff.
How to Balance: Add nutrient-rich options like sweet potatoes, spinach, or nuts alongside your holiday favorites.
You can enjoy the classics while also giving your body what it needs.
5. Too Much Sitting
Between family dinners, holiday movies, and long conversations, the holidays often mean a lot of sitting.
Staying in one position for too long can compress your spine and leave your back feeling stiff.
How to Balance: Break up sitting with short movement breaks every 30–60 minutes.
Stretch your back, walk around, or do a few gentle yoga poses to keep your muscles loose and your circulation flowing.
Don’t Let Back Pain Ruin Your Holidays
Back pain doesn’t have to be part of your holiday season.
If you’re finding it hard to manage, R&R Physical Therapy is here to help.
Our personalized care focuses on uncovering the root cause of your pain and giving you solutions that work naturally, without pills or procedures.
Ready to get started?
Call us at 817-918-3667, or click here to schedule an appointment.
Prefer to start with some tips? Download our free back pain guide for practical advice to help you feel better:
This season, enjoy every moment without letting back pain hold you back!
Passion-driven to further help people who had tried and failed with traditional treatments of stretching, exercises or just taking pills, Jeff completed Fellowship training with the Institute of Physical Art (FFMT). He is also recognized as a Fellow by the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT). Jeff pulls from both traditional training and an alternative mindset for an innovative and personally tailored approach to physical therapy and he stands among a very small percentage of physical therapists who look beyond your diagnosis to offer the most complete, effective, and efficient treatment possible.
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