Going on a holiday with pelvic issues is often described as challenging and painful by women. The circumstantial changes that come up once you arrive at the destination play a big part in this, but the journey to your destination also can bring a lot of risks. When you’re traveling, whether that’s by car or on a flight, you’re often in the same position for a long time. You can also experience additional pelvic pain when you carry heavy suitcases, stroll through the crowd at the airport, walk over the slippery floor of a swimming pool, the stairs in the hotel, the beach, or the surroundings of the hotel (like a hill). There are a lot of things you should keep in mind when you are going on a holiday when you have pelvic instability and pelvic pain.
Before we focus on the specific subjects at hand, let me first briefly explain pelvic instability.
What are pelvic instability and pelvic pain?
Pelvic instability is a known term for describing pain in the pelvis during or after pregnancy. However, pelvic instability has nothing to do with pelvic pain. Pelvic instability only describes the state of the pelvis. The pelvis, pelvic ligaments and pelvic floor muscles are weaker when you’re giving birth. The hormone Relaxin is released around the 12th week of pregnancy. This hormone causes your pelvic ligaments to become weaker and looser to prepare for a baby to be pushed through. This isn’t possible when your pelvic ligaments aren’t weaker. Each and every pregnant woman has to deal with pelvic instability, but not every woman experiences pain in combination with this. If you experience that the pelvic instability still causes pain, then you have pelvic pain. You can have pelvic instability and pelvic pain at the same time.
Read an in-depth article about pelvic instability and pelvic pain during pregnancy here.
6 symptoms of pelvic pain caused by pelvic instability:
If you so happen to experience pelvic pain because of pelvic instability, you can recognize it by going through the following symptoms:
- A nagging or stabbing pain in the vagina, pelvic floor, lower back, lower abdomen or tailbone.
- Feeling like a belt is tightly wrapped around your pelvis.
- A sensation of fatigue in the pelvic area.
- Having issues with the pelvic floor muscles. Urinary loss, for example.
- A sensation of fatigue or loss of strength in the upper legs.
- Having a hypermobile pelvis. Your pelvis is too mobile which can cause a stabbing pain.
Feel free to look around on the site to get to know more about pelvic pain.
Flying with pelvic pain and pelvic instability
Flights can be very painful if you experience pelvic pain and pelvic instability. That’s why it’s important for you to know the risks and where they come from. Let’s sum them up.
4 risks of flying with pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- Prolonged sitting.
You are sitting still on the same seat for quite some time during a flight. This position causes a continuous pressure on your torso which presses on your pelvis. The pelvis can be more painful if you continuously sit. - Lifting a heavy suitcase.
Lifting or dragging a heavy suitcase can negatively effect your pelvic instability and pelvic pain. Lifting an inconvenient heavy object causes additional tax on your already overly tensed pelvic ligaments. - Limited space.
You will be in a limited space for a while. Moving a little, adjusting your seat or stretching your legs often isn’t possible. There’s also the chance that you will bump into someone if you go for a short walk. These things will all have negative effects on your pelvis during a flight. - Strolling through the airport.
Strolling can be very taxing for the pelvis. The pelvic ligaments are additionally taxed and can become irritated even more.
4 tips for flying with pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- Occasional breaks.
Try to take a 10-minute walk after sitting for 20 minutes. Frequently changing your posture ensures a good blood flow and decreases the continuous pressure on the pelvis. - Lifting and bending over.
Lifting and bending over are incredibly taxing actions for your pelvis if you already have pelvic pain or pelvic instability. Make sure that you bend and lift from the legs and with a straight back. Lifting or dragging a heavy suitcase isn’t recommended at all. This will put your back and pelvis in a weird position which can unnecessarily cause more irritation in your pelvic ligaments. - Enough room for your legs.
Make sure that you have enough room for your legs when you’re on the plane. If necessary, look for seats that are close to the emergency exit, because those seats often have more room. This makes it easier for you to move or to stand.
In case you don’t choose to fly, keep reading about driving with pelvic pain and pelvic instability!
Going by car with pelvic pain and pelvic instability
Going on holiday by car also brings some risks. Think of the duration of the journey, an uncomfortable chair and being limited to move. Let’s discuss some risks and advices.
4 risks of going on a holiday by car with pelvic pain and pelvic instability
- The duration of the car ride.
The trip can be pretty long, especially if you go on a vacation. The average holiday enjoyer takes about 3 hours to arrive on their destination by car. This means you’re continuously sitting, causing a constant pressure of the torso on your pelvis. - Being unable to move.
There is little to no room to move when you’re going by car. The car isn’t that big. On the plane you sometimes still have the possibility to stretch your legs, but this isn’t really possible in the car, unless you’re driving a limo, of course. - (Dis)comfort.
Being on the road often comes with unpredictability. There can be bumps and holes in the road, sudden steering movements and unpredictable changes in speed. All of these things can be painful when you’re experiencing pelvic pain and pelvic instability. - Improper posture.
Maybe you are already in pain before you even enter the car. This already present pain causes you to sit differently. Are you normally sitting properly? An improper sitting position gives additional pressure on the pelvis and muscles surrounding the pelvis.
4 tips for going on a holiday by car with pelvic pain and pelvic instability
- Frequent breaks.
A car ride can take a long time. Try to stop once every hour if you’re experiencing pelvic instability and pelvic pain. This sounds like a lot but your pelvis requires movement to be able to have enough blood supply. - Change up your posture.
Stopping once an hour gives you the opportunity to take a walk. Changing your posture is crucial when you have pelvic pain and pelvic instability. Maybe you can also lay down on the backseat next time? - Make use of a pillow.
Try to sit on a pillow on the car seat. This provides additional comfort and dampens the shocks for your pelvic ligaments and pelvis. This is a recommended cushion. - Sit up properly.
A proper sitting position is important to have when you have pelvic pain and pelvic instability. That’s why you should sit up straight against the backrest of the seat with your feet placed firmly on the floor. This will cause a decrease of pressure on the pelvis and the pelvic ligaments.
If you want to read more about driving with pelvic pain and pelvic instability, feel free to take a look at this article.
Can you go on a sun holiday with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
Going on a sun holiday when you have pelvic pain and pelvic instability is possible to achieve. You can switch between rest and activity when you’re at the swimming pool or on the beach. There are a few important things which you need to keep in mind if you decide to visit a swimming pool or the beach.
Risks of going on a sun holiday with pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- Slippery slopes.
A beautiful resort or a nice apartment including a swimming pool is incredibly relaxing for most. But if you’re dealing with pelvic pain or instability, this may bring a few dangers. Slippery surfaces, for example. If you’re trying to carefully make your way across a slippery floor, your pelvic ligaments are being additionally stretched. So be careful and be extra mindful of those slippery tiles. - Not enough support.
Sand doesn’t provide enough support to be able to walk on the beach when you have pelvic pain or instability. You can sink more into the sand and your feet are often misaligned. The pelvic ligaments are being differently taxed and become quickly irritated. - Swimming is risky.
Swimming can be very relaxing for the pelvis and pelvic ligaments, but still it comes with a few risks. Swimming is an untaxed movement, which means that you won’t be able to tell when you’re about to cross your physical boundary. You will notice this after you’re out of the water. Take it easy when you’re swimming, and don’t be too fanatic.
Can you go on a winter sport holiday with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
Winter sport holidays are often very active holidays. Heavy activities often have an impact on your muscles and ligaments, including those surrounding your pelvis. You will also have to deal with the cold or freezing temperatures, snow and ski lifts. Let’s discuss the risks of a winter sport holiday.
Risks of a winter sport holiday when you have pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- Heavy activities.
Partaking in heavy activities like snowboarding or skiing is often if not always impossible when you have pelvic pain or pelvic instability. You are continuously moving your hips. This is incredibly taxing for your pelvis and that’s why it’s impossible to achieve. - Snow.
Snow is just like sand, but even more unpredictable. The proper way to walk for your pelvis is on a firm surface where both of your hips are equally taxed. This isn’t the case when you walk on snow or sand. You can sink more into the snow and you don’t know what’s beneath the surface. That’s very unpleasant for your pelvic ligaments. - The ski lift
Ski lifts move unpredictably and sway into all directions. The pelvic ligaments need to work even harder to keep everything in place. This isn’t possible if you have pelvic pain or pelvic instability.
Can you go on a hiking trip if with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
A hiking trip is often focused on long walks. This is an issue if you have pelvic pain or instability. The same tax for a prolonged period is painful for the pelvic ligaments. Walking for a long time is pretty intense and puts a continuous pressure on the pelvis. So hiking can be pretty painful.
The risks of a hiking trip when you have pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- A heavy physical load.
It’s important that you are able to take frequent breaks if you go on long walks with pelvic pain and pelvic instability. Take seat for 10 minutes after you’ve been walking for 20 minutes. Changing up movement and posture is beneficial for your pelvic ligaments, and crucial for your pelvis. This ensures that you have a proper blood flow and that you decrease the chances of being overtaxed. - Shoes.
Make sure you have shoes suitable for hiking, but I’m sure that you have already thought about that when you have chosen for a hiking trip. It’s important that your shoes have springy soles. - Carry weight or equipment.
Additional weight like carrying a backpack causes additional pressure on your pelvis and pelvic ligaments. The pelvic pain can heavily increase when you walk with a heavy weight on your back. - Surface.
The pelvis prefers a flat surface so that the pelvic region and hips have an equal load to carry. Take a proper look at where you’re going to walk and check if the surface is flat or even. Walking up a hill can also increase the tax on your pelvis.
Conclusion
Going on a holiday is possible if you have pelvic pain or pelvic instability. But think about the different factors. Do you have a long way to go, and which transport are you choosing? Keep the circumstances of your destination in mind. Is the hotel at the top of a hill that you frequently need to climb, then it’s not recommended to go there. A sunny holiday including a beach or a swimming pool comes with some risks, but it’s still more recommended than a winter sport vacation.
And lastly, are you looking for more information?
Hopefully this information was useful to you! If you’re still looking for some more information, feel free to take another look around on the website. It’s filled with in-depth information, tips, a web shop and also exercises. I still have a lot of articles with lots of information about other symptoms and issues. Feel free to click on the blue words to take you straight to the right page.
