PEOPLE suffering from back pain face specific problems when they travel on holiday that might not make that longed-for break so enjoyable.

A recent survey highlighted that almost half the nation’s holidaymakers have experienced back or neck pain on their trips. Sleeping in a bed with an unfamiliar mattress (23 per cent) or pillow (18 per cent) proved to be the biggest problems.

Other triggers were long-haul flights where 15 per cent of travellers experienced pain. As Harley Street spinal surgeon Mr Bob Chatterjee explained: “It seems that, at least statistically, spending time away from home can generally cause pain or an ongoing issue can be exacerbated by travelling abroad.”

Young Bolton mum Katie Hockley understands that statement. She had suffered from sciatica for a couple of years before she suddenly put a disc out in her spine last year.

This landed her in hospital, in agony. She had a scan and “then I was sent home on crutches with painkillers,” she recalled.

She was referred to Dr Sofat at Salford Royal Hospital “and he told me that the scan showed a degenerative condition in my spine that made the discs crumble.

“I needed an operation but we were due to go on holiday to Fuerteventura for two weeks so I was given a date for immediately we got back.”

Armed with painkillers for two weeks, Katie, along with partner David and one and a half year-old son Dougie, embarked on the four-hour flight. “Dougie wanted to walk around, though, so I had to keep on picking him up and that made my back worse,” she stated.

At the resort, Katie could only sleep on a hard sofa in their accommodation. She also struggled to sit on the beach and so had a chair and found walking any distance painful.

As fate would have it, as their holiday drew to a close, Dougie was covered in chicken pox spots. “So we had to stay on for another week,” added Katie.

Unfortunately, as Katie only had enough medication for a fortnight, she had to ration her painkillers. “Worse, I knew the operation would now have to be put back, which it was until October,” she said.

Katie, aged 32, had a discectomy to remove the problem discs and lengthy recuperation. She is now very careful about travel, tries to keep herself as mobile as possible and exercises regularly.

Mobility is important for travellers, stated Mr Chatterjee. “Sitting in a seat for prolonged periods puts pressure on your spine so you need to get up and move as frequently as possible,” he stated.

“If on a plane, go for a walk down the aisle and find some room to do some gentle stretching (fully extending your knees and lifting your toes towards the ceiling). If driving, stop every 90 to 120 minutes and do the same.”

He suggests flying at non-peak times if possible, checking before you fly to see if you can get a seat with no one sitting next to you to make moving and stretching easier.

Use a back roll or some pillows behind your back to keep your spine straight. Don’t slouch and try to keep your knees at a right angle. “Try to also put something on the floor to prop up your feet to maintain that right angle,” he added.

Take Paracetamol and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) about an hour before the journey. Pack some gel bags – the sort that can be frozen or heated – and book a massage at your hotel or nearby if you can.

•For more information on back treatment go to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/