Days at the Disney Parks can be extremely excruciating for those suffering from back pain. It’s important that you take proper steps to ensure that you have a great time without putting yourself in unnecessary pain and possibly causing or worsening an injury.
In this article, I’m going to give you tips and tricks to help handle and avoid back pain during a Disney vacation.
As a frequent visitor of Disney who struggles with back pain, I understand how miserable it can be. Keep reading to learn how to make your time at Disney not only bearable, but enjoyable too!
If you suffer from back problems, or even if you don’t, it’s a good idea to start physically preparing before your Disney vacation. Even if you’re regularly physically active, days at Disney can really wear down on your body. Besides the mass amount of walking that you’ll most likely be doing at the parks, the weather takes a big toll on your body as well.
Rather than going to the parks and shocking your body with these changes, start prepping it beforehand. You can think of this as “Disney training”. It’s a good idea to start this preparation about a month prior to your trip. However, if you think you may need a little extra time to adjust, you can always start your training sooner.
The standard form of preparation is walking. It’s very common to walk 20,000 steps or more per day while on a Disney vacation, which is about 8.5 miles. I would recommend getting used to walking 8-10 miles since some days at Disney will require more walking than others.
Some Disney park goers not only like to prep with physical activity, but also by changing their dietary intake. By cutting out caffeine, drinking lots of water, and eating healthy, your body will be in great condition and ready for strenuous days at the parks.
Stretching is very beneficial for the entire body, but is exceptionally helpful for back problems. When you stretch, the muscles of your spine become relaxed and lengthened, which helps relieve and avoid pain. It also helps prevent back spasms and stiffness.
For the best results, you’ll want to start stretching out your body prior to your trip. This can be done by incorporating stretching into your Disney training regime. Stretching before your trip will be incredibly helpful. However, you’ll want to continue doing stretches for the entirety of your trip.
While on your trip, it’s very important to stretch at the beginning of the day, before you head to the parks, as well as when you return back to your hotel at the end of the day. However, for maximum relief, stretch throughout the day as well. Every time you stretch, circulation is increased, which means your muscles receive a fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients. By stretching throughout the day, you’re giving your muscles a chance to rejuvenate. You can stretch while you’re taking a break and resting or even while you’re waiting in lines!
READ MORE – Disney Bans Guests From Theme Parks. No Exceptions Were Made For These Celebrities That Broke the Rules!
One of the best things that you can do for your back is make sure that you have a good pair of shoes. The right pair of shoes will provide you with comfort, support, and durability. For back pain, it’s exceptionally helpful to have shoes with great shock absorption. When you wear shoes like this, the force and energy is absorbed and redirected away from your body, which will greatly reduce the amount of pain and body aches that a mass amount of walking will result in.
For Disney vacations, you may want to consider bringing two different pairs of shoes. By alternating shoes, or even shoe types, you’ll help prevent the overuse of specific muscle groups and joints. You can bring the second pair along with you and switch throughout the day or alternate every other day between the two pairs.
If you need help finding a great pair of shoes for your Disney vacation, we’ve got you covered! Here at Mickey Visit, we’ve tried and tested many different shoes at Disney. We’ve put together a list of the best shoes to wear to the Disney Parks. To see our top recommendations, read our Best Shoes for Disneyland and Best Shoes for Disney World articles.
While at Disney, it’s very easy to get caught up in the go-go-go of the day. It’s understandable that Guests want to get as much done as possible when they’re at Disney. Especially if it’s not a frequent vacation spot for them.
However, it’s extremely important that you let your body rest throughout the day. Pushing yourself continuously will only result in exhaustion and major aches and pains. Take breaks throughout the day to rest, hydrate, and rejuvenate.
You may also want to consider setting aside a day to relax at your resort. Taking a break from the parks and allowing yourself to rest is extremely beneficial for your body.
As someone who frequently vacations to Disney and suffers from back pain, I make sure that an anti-inflammatory is always on my packing list. Advil is a highly recommended anti-inflammatory for back pain and my personal go-to. Of course, there are other options as well, such as Backaid, Aleve, and Ibuprofen.
Bringing an anti-inflammatory along with you is a great source of preparation since you’ll already have it on hand when you start to feel the pain. However, if you do forget to bring some, the Disney Resorts and gift shops have some available for purchase. If you happen to be in a gift shop and you don’t see any, make sure to ask a Cast Member since they may keep it behind the counter.
Both heat and ice are effective tools when it comes to back pain. While they’re both beneficial and help relieve pain, they attack two different issues. Heat helps relax the muscles which reduces muscle spasms and pain. The cooling effect of ice helps reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain. Heat is helpful when you have general pain while ice is more useful for specific, targeted pain.
For optimal results, you may want to consider getting a routine in place during your time at Disney. Before heading to the parks, you can use a heating pad to help loosen your muscles for the day. After returning, you can use an ice pack to help zero in on those specifically painful areas. Hot showers and ice baths can also be useful tools to help you distribute these hot and cold temperatures.
Icy Hot can be a helpful item to take into the parks with you. Available in a topical cream, patches, roll-on liquid, balm, and spray, this can be a great way to give your back some relief during your park day.
A brace is a great way to give your back extra support during a park day. When you wear a back brace, you’re reducing pressure on the spine and allowing those supportive muscles to relax. A great brace for back problems is the Copper Fit Adjustable Rapid Relief Back Brace.
This brace has adaptive lumbar support, adjustable compression, 4 built-in stabilizing supports, and the ability to add hot or cold therapy with the removable and reusable gel pack. The Copper Fit Adjustable Rapid Relief Back Brace is also infused with copper which makes it odor reducing. This is exceptionally nice for Disney! It also fits discreetly under clothing so you’ll never have to feel self-conscious.
During your trip, you may notice that Disney warns Guests about all rides that may affect those with back pain. This is generally always posted on a sign and sometimes even mentioned during a verbal announcement. While Disney posts these as precautionary measures, these warnings are sometimes posted on rides that don’t seem to warrant them. That being said, everyone’s body is different and handles movements differently. Before going on vacation, make sure that you consult your doctor for the best advice on what kinds of rides are safe for you and which ones you should avoid.
As I mentioned before, I frequently visit Disney and suffer from back pain. Others in my travel party also have back problems. The list below includes rides at both Disney World and Disneyland that I would personally suggest skipping if you have troubles with your back.
Disney World
Disneyland has changed and evolved quite a lot since its opening in 1955. With the park's history comes an interesting past, including some things that we look back on today and find really weird…from real alligators in the Jungle Cruise to live mermaids in the lagoon of Submarine Voyage. See the 11 weird things we can't believe were once at Disneyland!
Disneyland is filled with a variety of excellent table-service and quick-service restaurants that have won over the hearts of fans. One particular restaurant stands out—its food may not look quite normal, but it's one of our favorite options with some really fun themed menu items. See the Disneyland restaurant with some of the wackiest foods at the resort that we love!
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1. Start Prepping Before Your Trip
If you suffer from back problems, or even if you don’t, it’s a good idea to start physically preparing before your Disney vacation. Even if you’re regularly physically active, days at Disney can really wear down on your body. Besides the mass amount of walking that you’ll most likely be doing at the parks, the weather takes a big toll on your body as well.
Rather than going to the parks and shocking your body with these changes, start prepping it beforehand. You can think of this as “Disney training”. It’s a good idea to start this preparation about a month prior to your trip. However, if you think you may need a little extra time to adjust, you can always start your training sooner.
The standard form of preparation is walking. It’s very common to walk 20,000 steps or more per day while on a Disney vacation, which is about 8.5 miles. I would recommend getting used to walking 8-10 miles since some days at Disney will require more walking than others.
Some Disney park goers not only like to prep with physical activity, but also by changing their dietary intake. By cutting out caffeine, drinking lots of water, and eating healthy, your body will be in great condition and ready for strenuous days at the parks.
2. Do Body Stretches
Stretching is very beneficial for the entire body, but is exceptionally helpful for back problems. When you stretch, the muscles of your spine become relaxed and lengthened, which helps relieve and avoid pain. It also helps prevent back spasms and stiffness.
For the best results, you’ll want to start stretching out your body prior to your trip. This can be done by incorporating stretching into your Disney training regime. Stretching before your trip will be incredibly helpful. However, you’ll want to continue doing stretches for the entirety of your trip.
While on your trip, it’s very important to stretch at the beginning of the day, before you head to the parks, as well as when you return back to your hotel at the end of the day. However, for maximum relief, stretch throughout the day as well. Every time you stretch, circulation is increased, which means your muscles receive a fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients. By stretching throughout the day, you’re giving your muscles a chance to rejuvenate. You can stretch while you’re taking a break and resting or even while you’re waiting in lines!
3. Wear Supportive Shoes
READ MORE – Disney Bans Guests From Theme Parks. No Exceptions Were Made For These Celebrities That Broke the Rules!
One of the best things that you can do for your back is make sure that you have a good pair of shoes. The right pair of shoes will provide you with comfort, support, and durability. For back pain, it’s exceptionally helpful to have shoes with great shock absorption. When you wear shoes like this, the force and energy is absorbed and redirected away from your body, which will greatly reduce the amount of pain and body aches that a mass amount of walking will result in.
For Disney vacations, you may want to consider bringing two different pairs of shoes. By alternating shoes, or even shoe types, you’ll help prevent the overuse of specific muscle groups and joints. You can bring the second pair along with you and switch throughout the day or alternate every other day between the two pairs.
If you need help finding a great pair of shoes for your Disney vacation, we’ve got you covered! Here at Mickey Visit, we’ve tried and tested many different shoes at Disney. We’ve put together a list of the best shoes to wear to the Disney Parks. To see our top recommendations, read our Best Shoes for Disneyland and Best Shoes for Disney World articles.
4. Take Rest Breaks
While at Disney, it’s very easy to get caught up in the go-go-go of the day. It’s understandable that Guests want to get as much done as possible when they’re at Disney. Especially if it’s not a frequent vacation spot for them.
However, it’s extremely important that you let your body rest throughout the day. Pushing yourself continuously will only result in exhaustion and major aches and pains. Take breaks throughout the day to rest, hydrate, and rejuvenate.
You may also want to consider setting aside a day to relax at your resort. Taking a break from the parks and allowing yourself to rest is extremely beneficial for your body.
5. Use an Anti-Inflammatory
As someone who frequently vacations to Disney and suffers from back pain, I make sure that an anti-inflammatory is always on my packing list. Advil is a highly recommended anti-inflammatory for back pain and my personal go-to. Of course, there are other options as well, such as Backaid, Aleve, and Ibuprofen.
Bringing an anti-inflammatory along with you is a great source of preparation since you’ll already have it on hand when you start to feel the pain. However, if you do forget to bring some, the Disney Resorts and gift shops have some available for purchase. If you happen to be in a gift shop and you don’t see any, make sure to ask a Cast Member since they may keep it behind the counter.
6. Utilize Heat and Ice
Both heat and ice are effective tools when it comes to back pain. While they’re both beneficial and help relieve pain, they attack two different issues. Heat helps relax the muscles which reduces muscle spasms and pain. The cooling effect of ice helps reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain. Heat is helpful when you have general pain while ice is more useful for specific, targeted pain.
For optimal results, you may want to consider getting a routine in place during your time at Disney. Before heading to the parks, you can use a heating pad to help loosen your muscles for the day. After returning, you can use an ice pack to help zero in on those specifically painful areas. Hot showers and ice baths can also be useful tools to help you distribute these hot and cold temperatures.
Icy Hot can be a helpful item to take into the parks with you. Available in a topical cream, patches, roll-on liquid, balm, and spray, this can be a great way to give your back some relief during your park day.
7. Wear a Back Brace
A brace is a great way to give your back extra support during a park day. When you wear a back brace, you’re reducing pressure on the spine and allowing those supportive muscles to relax. A great brace for back problems is the Copper Fit Adjustable Rapid Relief Back Brace.
This brace has adaptive lumbar support, adjustable compression, 4 built-in stabilizing supports, and the ability to add hot or cold therapy with the removable and reusable gel pack. The Copper Fit Adjustable Rapid Relief Back Brace is also infused with copper which makes it odor reducing. This is exceptionally nice for Disney! It also fits discreetly under clothing so you’ll never have to feel self-conscious.
8. Avoid These Rides
During your trip, you may notice that Disney warns Guests about all rides that may affect those with back pain. This is generally always posted on a sign and sometimes even mentioned during a verbal announcement. While Disney posts these as precautionary measures, these warnings are sometimes posted on rides that don’t seem to warrant them. That being said, everyone’s body is different and handles movements differently. Before going on vacation, make sure that you consult your doctor for the best advice on what kinds of rides are safe for you and which ones you should avoid.
As I mentioned before, I frequently visit Disney and suffer from back pain. Others in my travel party also have back problems. The list below includes rides at both Disney World and Disneyland that I would personally suggest skipping if you have troubles with your back.
Disney World
- Magic Kingdom
- Space Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- EPCOT
- Test Track
- Hollywood Studios
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
- Animal Kingdom
- Kilimanjaro Safaris
- DINOSAUR
- Disneyland Park
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
- Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Space Mountain
- Disney California Adventure
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
READ MORE – 11 Weird Things We Can’t Believe Were Once at Disneyland
Disneyland has changed and evolved quite a lot since its opening in 1955. With the park's history comes an interesting past, including some things that we look back on today and find really weird…from real alligators in the Jungle Cruise to live mermaids in the lagoon of Submarine Voyage. See the 11 weird things we can't believe were once at Disneyland!
READ MORE – This Disneyland Restaurant’s Food Doesn’t Look Quite Normal But We Consider It One of Our Favorites
Disneyland is filled with a variety of excellent table-service and quick-service restaurants that have won over the hearts of fans. One particular restaurant stands out—its food may not look quite normal, but it's one of our favorite options with some really fun themed menu items. See the Disneyland restaurant with some of the wackiest foods at the resort that we love!
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