Thrive Through the Holidays: Your Body’s Guide to a Pain-Free Season

By Dr. Sara Koehl, PT, DPT

The holiday season brings joy, connection, and celebration—but it can also bring physical stress, disrupted routines, and unexpected aches. As physical therapists, we see a predictable surge in neck pain, back strain, and stress-related tension every December. The good news? Most of this is preventable with some mindful preparation and body awareness.

The Stress-Pain Connection

Let’s start with something many people don’t realize: stress is physical. When your nervous system shifts into fight-or-flight mode—whether from holiday shopping chaos, family dynamics, or jam-packed schedules—your muscles tense, your breathing becomes shallow, and your body produces inflammatory chemicals that lower your pain threshold.

Think of your nervous system like a dimmer switch. The more “up-regulated” you are (stressed, rushed, sleep-deprived), the more sensitive you become to physical discomfort. A movement that wouldn’t bother you in July might trigger pain in December simply because your system is already on edge.

Your action step: Build in daily “down-regulation” practices:

• Box breathing: 4 seconds in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold—even just 2 minutes while your coffee brews
• Morning sunlight: 10 minutes outside helps regulate cortisol and sleep cycles
  
• Non-negotiable sleep window: Protect 7-8 hours even during busy weeks

Movement: Your Best Holiday Insurance Policy

Holiday schedules often mean skipped workouts and long periods of sitting (travel, meals, movie marathons). This is exactly when your body needs movement most.

The reality check: You don’t need to maintain your full training schedule, but you do need to move daily. Sedentary time increases stiffness, reduces blood flow, and allows muscles to “forget” good movement patterns—setting you up for injury when you suddenly lift heavy items or play with kids.

Smart movement strategies:
Daily minimum: 10-15 minutes of intentional movement
Here’s a simple 10-minute routine to do daily (or whenever you feel tight):

1. Diaphragmatic breathing (2 min): Lying down, hand on belly, breathe deeply into your abdomen
2. Child’s pose (1 min): Gentle stretch for back and shoulders
3. Cat-cow (1 min): Spinal mobility in all directions
4. Thread the needle (1 min each side): Upper back and shoulder mobility
5. 90/90 hip stretch (1 min each side): Hip mobility and rotation
6. Wall angels (2 min): Shoulder and thoracic spine mobility

Maintain strength patterns: Even 2 focused sessions per week will maintain your foundation. Focus on compound movements (squats, hinges, pushes, pulls) rather than isolated exercises.

Walk more than usual: It’s free, social, aids digestion, and keeps your aerobic base. After big meals, a 15-minute walk significantly reduces blood sugar spikes and prevents the “food coma” stiffness.

Lifting, Decorating, and Household Safety

Emergency rooms see spikes in injuries from decorating, cooking, and lifting during the holidays. Most are completely avoidable.

Lifting presents, groceries, suitcases:

1. Get close to the object before lifting
2. Hinge at your hips (not rounding your back)
3. Engage your core before you lift
4. Keep the load close to your body
5. Pivot with your feet rather than twisting your spine

Kitchen prep: Standing for hours while cooking is a major culprit for back pain:

• Use a small step stool to prop one foot up periodically
• Take micro-breaks to stretch between cooking tasks
• Set up your workspace at proper height (elbows at 90 degrees)

Travel Without the Pain

Whether you’re driving or flying, prolonged positions compress tissues and reduce circulation.
Every 60-90 minutes:

• Stand and walk for 3-5 minutes
• Do standing hip flexor stretches
• Roll your shoulders and rotate your neck gently
• Extend your spine (gentle backbend with hands on lower back)

In your seat:

• Support your low back with a small pillow or rolled jacket
• Keep feet flat on the floor or footrest
• Avoid crossing legs for extended periods
• Do seated ankle pumps and knee extensions

Nutrition and Inflammation

I’m not going to tell you to skip dessert—this is about balance, not perfection. But understand that certain foods can temporarily increase systemic inflammation, making you more sensitive to pain.
Helpful tips:

• Stay hydrated (dehydration increases muscle cramping and pain sensitivity)
• Balance indulgent meals with vegetables and lean proteins
• Limit alcohol, which disrupts sleep and increases inflammation
• Don’t skip meals then overeat—blood sugar crashes increase stress hormones

Your Holiday Challenge

This season, commit to treating your body as well as you treat your guests. You can’t pour from an empty cup—or move joyfully from a stressed, painful body.
Three non-negotiables:

• Sleep 7-8 hours most nights
• Move intentionally for 10-15 minutes daily
• Practice one stress-reduction technique each day

The holidays are meant for celebration, not compensation. With these strategies, you’ll not only avoid pain—you’ll have more energy, better mood, and greater capacity to enjoy every moment.

Here’s to a strong, resilient, pain-free holiday season!