Enjoy the Holidays Without Pain

The holidays are busy enough without pain getting in the way. Decorating, shopping, traveling, cooking, and family gatherings can mean more time on your feet and fewer chances to recover. For people living with arthritis, back pain, or another chronic condition, that extra activity can add up quickly, turning holiday plans into painful days.

That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun during the holidays. At Vista Healthcare and Southwest Spine and Pain Center, patients throughout Southern Utah have access to a coordinated network of specialists who can help uncover what is contributing to their pain and find the right path forward. Pain management, rheumatology, neurology, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy work together to provide personalized care focused on helping patients stay active and keep doing the things that matter most.

Why Pain Often Increases during the Holidays
Holiday activities can place a lot of demands on the body. Decorating may involve lifting, reaching, and climbing. Cooking often requires hours of standing, while shopping and traveling can mean remaining in the same position for long periods.

One way to make those demands more manageable is through pacing, which means breaking up activities so your body has time to recover. Spread bigger tasks across several days, switch positions often, and take breaks before pain or fatigue builds. Decorate one room at a time, prepare parts of holiday meals in advance, and alternate standing tasks with seated ones. Leave some breathing room between events so your body has time to recover.

The goal isn’t to do less. It’s to make it easier to keep doing the things you enjoy. “We want to help patients maintain their quality of life and stay as active as possible, even with arthritis,” said Dr. Michael Grant, a rheumatologist at Vista Healthcare. “Through personalized care, we aim to reduce pain and improve mobility, so our patients can get back to the things they enjoy.”

Protect Your Back and Joints
Small changes can make holiday tasks easier on your back and joints:

• Lifting and decorating: Keep packages and decorations close to your body, bend at your knees and hips, and avoid twisting. Use smaller containers when possible, and ask for help with heavy items.

• In the kitchen: Wear supportive shoes, change positions often, and sit while chopping or assembling food. Slide heavy cookware across the counter rather than carrying it.

• During long drives: Adjust your seat so your back is supported and your shoulders stay relaxed. Stop periodically to walk and change positions. A small rolled towel behind your lower back may provide extra support.

Know When to Seek Care
Pain that is severe, worsening, or interfering with sleep and everyday activities should not be ignored. New weakness, numbness, balance changes, or pain that travels into an arm or leg may also indicate that it is time to be evaluated.

“Pain management is often an important first step, but it’s rarely the only step,” said Dr. Casey Muir, a pain management physician at Southwest Spine and Pain Center. “When multiple systems are involved, care works best when providers are communicating and working together.”

Depending on a patient’s needs, that care may include pain management, rheumatology, neurology, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy.

“The goal isn’t to do less of what you love,” said Russ Jepson, D.C., a chiropractor at Vista Healthcare Sports Spine and Injury Center. “It’s to address pain early, protect your mobility, and help you stay involved in the traditions that make the holidays meaningful.”

To learn more or find a Vista Healthcare or Southwest Spine and Pain Center location near you, visit vista-hc.com or southwestspineandpain.com.