Adjust your seat, the steering wheel, and your mirrors.
Your backrest should be between 100 and 110 degrees allowing your back to make full contact. Your knees should have a slight bend even when using the pedals. The steering wheel should allow you to keep your elbows below your shoulders, as we mentioned previously.
As a general rule you want to sit as low as possible with your legs straight, and your body is stretched out. This gives a nice low centre of gravity, the steering wheel is moved closer to your body, and the low seat base adds to the feeling of speed when you are driving.
Legs and back
There should be a slight bend in your knees which not only aids in comfort but also acts as a brace in case of a crash and allows for better absorption of road bumps while driving. Straight legs do not provide the required dexterity required to operate the foot controls correctly.
One strategy is to try to lift the hips a little higher relative to the knees to place pressure instead onto the sitting bones (or ischial tuberosities) of the lower buttock, the structures that are better designed for you to sit on!
Driving through a bad storm, being a victim of road rage, getting lost, or having a panic attack can all be traumatic. You may replay the experience in your mind and worry it will happen again. The repetitive thoughts and fears may then cause the person to avoid driving, only making the anxiety worse.
The most important thing you need to know about driving in Australia is that we drive on the left. If you've grown up driving on the other side of the road, just remember that the driver should always be close to the centre of the road.
Prolonged sitting, whole body, low-frequency vibrations and constrained postures while driving can lead to back pain. It's no fun for anyone to drive with lower, middle or upper back pain.
Lack of lumbar support is a common culprit of low back pain while driving. Most older vehicles don't come equipped with adjustable lumbar support in their seats, meaning a considerable amount of strain could be placed on your low back due to lack of low back support.
Most likely, the posture when you are sitting behind the wheel flexes your low back. Flexion means your back is bent forward at the waist relative to your hips. It is the same posture you get in if you slouch when sitting in a chair or on a soft couch.
This discomfort can be eased by lifting your hips higher, so that you elevate yourself away from the edges of the seat. For example, use a wedge cushion or fill in the middle of the seat with a folded towel, creating a flat surface with no pressure from the raised edges of the seat.
Sleeping on your back evenly distributes your weight and prevents any one joint from getting strained. That means it's beneficial for your hips. If you're not normally a back sleeper, it can be tricky to get used to this position. Try adding a pillow or bolster under your knees.
Lower Body Strengthening
Place the band under the right foot and hold the ends of the band in both hands. Slowly bend the right knee and lift it so that the right foot comes off the ground. Extend the leg slowly working the quadriceps muscles. Repeat 8-12 times on the right leg and change legs.
Never drive with your hips lower than your knees. Your knees should be slightly bent, but your feet should still be able to reach the pedals easily for good control. Head/Neck: Your neck should be upright, with the center of the back of your head touching the center of the headrest.
The number one complaint from drivers is leg pain. "Sciatica symptoms, pain down your legs can be caused by being too far away from the petals," Cudahy said. For the perfect posture, keep the knees slightly higher than your hips, and if you tend to drive with one arm, it could cause you to lean to one side.
Injuries to the chest or upper extremities: Side airbags can damage the chest and upper extremities when they deploy, but consider what might happen to your chest if you're sitting too close to your steering wheel when a frontal airbag deploys. You can suffer bruising, internal injuries, and even broken bones.
Vision: Make sure that if you're sitting on a pillow, you can still the road. Pedals: Ensure the pillow you're sitting on doesn't interfere with your ability to press the car's gas and brake pedals. Safety: Your seatbelt must be able to fit snugly and securely around you if you're on a pillow.
Why do your legs hurt while driving? Leg pain while driving occurs when the nerves on your back and legs are compressed and pinched over a long duration with minimal movement. While driving, your right leg is more prone to aches and soreness as it's doing all the work from controlling the brake and accelerator.
30-60% of drivers cite back pain which is caused or made worse by driving and people who regularly spend more than 4 hours a day at the wheel are at increased risk of developing back problems.
Not only does driving place pressure on your spinal column, making sciatica worse, but sitting for prolonged periods of time can have similar effects. During long drives, the pain can be extremely uncomfortable and put a damper on your travels.