A study done in 2023 suggests that low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability globally. An estimated 619 million people live with LBP. While driving, you could aggravate back pain due to your unnatural sitting position while the vehicle is moving.
As such, it’s best to take precautions to avoid injuring your back.
Ways to Reduce Back Pain While Driving
There are a lot of ways to reduce back pain while driving. The easiest and most effective ways are by adjusting the seats, adding lumbar support, using cruise control, and removing items from your pockets.
Adjust the Seats
Generally, you want to be comfortably seated when driving to help maintain focus on the road. However, you should still find an angle that’s comfortable and good for your posture. Adjust your seat position to find that sweet spot.
You want the seat to support your back while your spine is straight and aligned. Find an angle where you can sit with your weight equally distributed on both sides of your body, with your knees positioned lower than your hips.
Ensure the steering wheel is within arm’s reach while your elbows are slightly bent for comfort. Lastly, don’t raise your seat too high to avoid being hunched over while driving.
Add Lumbar Support
You can buy pillows or cushions for lumbar support to help reduce back pain while driving and maintaining proper posture.
You can even roll a sweatshirt or jacket and place it on your lower back. You can also use a belt to secure the makeshift support, making it more comfortable to lean on.
Use Cruise Control
Cruise control is a feature that lets you set your vehicle to a specific speed, allowing you to take your foot off the accelerator pedal. It’s useful when driving for prolonged periods, as you can rest your foot and stretch your legs a bit.
Activating cruise control also helps alleviate stress from your back, as you can place your feet on the floor for even weight distribution. However, you should be wary of when to use cruise control, as it’s not suitable during rush hour or on slippery/unsafe roads, as the decreased control of your vehicle could result in accidents.
Remove Items From Your Pockets
Make it a habit to remove items from your back pockets when driving, as they can affect your back and posture. Items like phones and wallets may cause your sitting position to shift over time, which affects your lower back and spine.
After a while, you may even feel pain in your buttocks, sciatic nerve, and back. Having empty back pockets while driving allows you to sit flat against your seat, which is great for your posture and comfort.
Adjust the Steering Wheel
There are two steering wheel adjustments that you should do if you have a bad back. The first is to pull the steering wheel close enough that you won’t need to stretch your arms forward. This will help reduce muscle strain on your neck, shoulders, and back.
The second adjustment is holding the steering wheel at nine and three o’clock instead of ten and two. You may feel less arm pressure in this position, especially if you can rest your arms and elbows on the armrests.
Try a Heated Seat
Some cars come with heated seats that have a massage feature. Turn them on periodically if your vehicle has both. It should help reduce pain because heat reduces constriction in tight blood vessels. Heated car seats also soothe tight muscles and reduce muscle spasms by increasing blood flow to your back.
There are also heated car seat covers online if your vehicle doesn’t come with them.
Sit Properly
Recline your seat to a 100° angle so your spine touches the seat. Your seat should also be flat so your hips are at the same level as your knees. You should be seated high enough to see over your steering wheel and your mirrors and dashboards without leaning forward.
Have the steering wheel at chest height to avoid straining your arms and shoulders. Slightly bend your knees and arms to depress the pedals without your back leaving the seat.
Lastly, have a two-finger gap between the back of your knees and your seat to avoid cutting off circulation. Your head should also rest against the headrest and not tilt forward.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is useful if you want to decrease back pressure and discomfort. Drinking water can also protect the disks from dehydration while reducing the potential for back spasms and leg cramps.
Stretch
Periodically stretch during long drives. Try these light stretches while your vehicle is parked:
- Sit straight and place both hands on your right side before gently twisting your upper body around until you’re almost looking through your back window. Repeat for the other side.
- Raise your arms 90 degrees, keep your back straight, and slowly bring your arms and hips down to the right. Repeat for the other side.
- Rotate your neck clockwise and anti-clockwise while keeping your body straight.
Take a Break
Lastly, take frequent breaks to get reasonable rest and properly stretch your muscles and back. Do this every couple of hours if you plan on driving for more than five hours, as sitting for long periods can exacerbate swelling in the lower extremities.
What Causes Back Pain While Driving
There are a lot of possible reasons why you suffer from back pain while driving. But ultimately, it boils down to poor posture and restricted movement. Back pain in a car seat is also different from sitting in a chair in your living room because the vehicle is in motion.
Your body is affected by acceleration and deceleration, vibrations, and side-to-side movement. Besides poor posture, some other reasons for back pain include the following:
- Improper lifting techniques
- Accidents/collisions
- Overuse of ligaments or muscles outside of driving
- Compression fractures
- Arthritis
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Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.
