Society believes that comfort is a luxury perk, and therefore, to experience comfort in a vehicle, you have to buy a luxurious one. Luxury often means expensive, making it an inaccessible thing to many considering our country’s economic climate. We at the Kelston Motor Group believe that comfort when it comes to car seats should, at least, be a standard. Sadly, it currently is not, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot improvise and create the comfort yourself to ensure that you don’t strain your back when sitting behind the steering wheel.
According to research, sitting can be a leading cause to back pain or make active back pain worse because it increases the load on your spine more than standing. The pressure on the spine amplifies when one is driving because not only is the body exposed to additional forces such as vibrations, acceleration, and deceleration, but driving also requires active use of your feet to step on the pedals. This means that your feet are not allowed the luxury of being firmly planted on the ground for stability. These factors, plus incorrect posture and poor seat design can result in back pain.
We are slowly approaching the festive season, meaning we will see most people take their long-deserved breaks from work and embark on road trips with friends and family to their holiday destinations to unwind. Whether you’re the driver or in the passenger seat, the reality is that we all spend large amounts of time in the car, and this sitting for long periods will cause back pain.
Here are some tips to help you manage your back pain and discomfort while driving:
1. Adjust your backrest and slide the seat
Sit back in the seat and adjust the backrest to 100-110 degrees to allow your back to complete contact with the car seat. To slide the car seat, move it forward and backwards to set the distance between the driver seat and the pedals. Your knees should have a slight bend when fully depressing the clutch or pushing hard on the brake pedal.
2. Adjust the headrest
Position the headrest where the middle of the cushion meets the middle of the back of your head.
3. Adjust the mirrors
Adjust both mirrors while in the correct seating position so that you can easily see them by only moving your eyes. Mirrors can also act as a reminder for good driving posture, forcing you to sit up straight if you can’t see them when slouching.
4. Get an additional lumbar support
Car seats often have a poor design and have insufficient lumbar support to suit the natural curve of your back, so use a cushion or a rolled-up towel. Alternatively, purchase a car seat lumbar support cushion to place behind your lower back.
5. Cushion your seat
Cushioning a seat reduces the number of vibrations and jolts transmitted to it. This can be done by using a car seat specific cushion to act as a shock absorber. Additionally, servicing and maintaining your car, especially the suspension and tyres will ensure a more comfortable drive.
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