🎄Post-Holiday Recovery: Relieving Back, Hip, and Pelvic Pain After Christmas
From the twinkle lights to the perfectly wrapped presents under the tree, the holidays are a time of beauty and joy. But behind every magical moment is a lot of work—and your body feels it. Whether you’re cooking a feast, wrapping gifts, or running around trying to make memories, Christmas can be as physically demanding as it is emotionally rewarding.
If you’ve noticed aches and pains in your hips, lower back, or even pelvic area this holiday season, you’re not alone. The toll of preparing, hosting, and carrying the holiday spirit for your family often sneaks up on us. Let’s talk about where these aches might be coming from and how to better understand what your body is telling you.
The Hidden Costs of Holiday Magic
Wrapping Presents
Think about it: were you hunched over the dining table or sitting cross-legged on the floor while wrapping? Awkward positions like these can lead to stiffness in your lower back and hips.
Cooking & Hosting
Preparing that holiday ham or baking cookies is a labor of love, but standing in one spot for too long can overwork your pelvic floor and lower back. Add in the repetitive movements of stirring, bending, and lifting, and you’ve got a recipe for discomfort.
Holiday Clean-Up
Picking up wrapping paper, vacuuming, or loading the dishwasher often means repeated bending and twisting. Without proper posture and movement form, these activities can strain your hips and pelvis.
Carrying the Mental Load
Stress doesn’t just weigh on your mind; it can cause tension in your neck, shoulders, and even pelvic floor. That emotional labor you carry? It shows up in your muscles too.
Signs Your Body is Asking for Help
Pay attention to these red flags:
Persistent lower back pain or tightness.
Hips that feel stiff or sore, especially after sitting or standing.
A sensation of heaviness in your pelvis.
Discomfort when bending, lifting, or reaching.
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s time to stop pushing through and start checking in with your body.
How to Give Your Body the Care It Deserves
The first step is understanding where your discomfort is coming from. Often, it’s not the activity itself but how we position our body during these tasks that causes strain. This is where a postural and functional movement assessment can help.
By evaluating how you sit, stand, and move, a pelvic health occupational therapist (like me!) can pinpoint the root cause of your pain. Together, we’ll uncover the habits and movements that may be contributing to your discomfort—and build a plan to help you recover.
The holiday season is all about giving, but don’t forget to give yourself the gift of care. Your body worked hard to make Christmas magical, and it deserves to feel good moving into the New Year.
Ready to listen to your body? Schedule a postural and functional movement assessment today and start the journey to feeling better.
