MEDICAL MATTERS...
BEND OVER BACKWARDS? NOT RECOMMENDED…
It is said that four out of five adults can be affected by back pain at some point in their life. This is far more likely for individ- uals, such as licensed hackney and PHV drivers, who spend long hours behind the wheel.
Like oil and water, driving and back pain are not an ideal mixture. Not only can chronic back pain make life miserable for drivers, particularly if driving is one’s occupation (you might say we qualify...) but the very act of sitting in one position for hours on end can aggravate and even be a leading cause of back pain.
According to the Mayo Clinic, back pain is ranked second only to headaches as the most frequent cause of pain. Even though back trouble is not deemed to be life-threat- ening, its total cost to society ranges in the billions of pounds every year. And it can strike people of all ages; it’s most common in the 45-64 age group... but it can affect anybody at any age.
Professor Mark Porter of Loughborough University believes that cars are responsible for a substantial portion of back ailments in the UK. Having led a major project called “Reducing Back Pain in High Mileage Drivers” for the Department of Health and the Health and Safety Executive, he says: “Your back may be telling you a lot about the state of your back and its relationship with your car. And it is worth listening to it because it can give you an early warning of serious problems that may start with minor discomfort.”
Professor Porter found that absence from work because of back pain is six times higher for drivers who are at the wheel for more than four hours a day; and with con- gestion and delays increasing, those numbers go up yearly. “Long periods at the wheel can seriously damage your health, particularly if seats do not allow optimum posture and drivers do not ‘fit’ their cars,” he says.
Establishing the “ideal” driving position is a problem because people’s height and weight vary so widely. There is rarely a magic bullet where a simple adjustment to the vehicle or your posture will help right away but when you practice them often enough, you will notice improve- ments.
88 HOW TO AVOID BACK PAIN IN A CAR
There are several seat adjustments you can make to sit more comfortably in the driver’s seat. Many cars have seat adjustments on a slider, recline adjustments, height adjust- ments, and even lumbar back support adjustments. There are some manufacturers that include a tilt function to support the back of your thighs, while others offer an adjustable distance from the seat to the back of your knees.
Even with all the adjustments available, it can be hard to find a car’s seat comfortable. For some, no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to stop fidgeting. Have you adjusted your seat properly?
ADJUSTING THE DISTANCE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL
The most important adjustment you can make is correcting the distance from the steering wheel so you can properly manipu- late the steering wheel.
When your arms are stressed just holding onto the wheel, the tension extends into your back and causes pain, especially for those with back trouble. Varying your hand position when you are driving can also help to relieve joints and improve circulation
Steps:
1. Position yourself properly. Sit with your back fully against the seat back.
2. Hold the steering wheel properly. Reach forward and grip the steering wheel at the nine o’clock and three o’clock positions.
3. Ensure that your arms are in the right position. If your arms are fully extended and locked, you are sitting too far from the steering wheell.
4. If your elbows create less than a 60- degree angle, you are sitting too close.
Adjust your seat further back.
5. Your arms should not be locked but be slightly bent. There should be no discom- fort gripping the steering wheel.
RECLINING YOUR SEAT BACK PROPERLY
When you sit in the driver’s seat, you should sit tall without being uncomfortable. Adjust your back rest so that it makes contact with your back from your bottom to your shoul- ders, about 100 to 110 degrees. Reclining too far back will make you strain your head and neck forward. Your driving position requires that you pay full attention to the road, and so you should be as upright as possible.
Steps:
1. Position the seat fully upright. This posi- tion may not be comfortable but this is where the seat adjustments need to start.
2. Slowly recline the seat until the pressure eases from your lower back. This is the angle at which your seat should recline.
3. When you lay your head back, the head- rest should be 1-2 inches behind your head. With your head against the head- rest, you should have a clear field of vision of the road.
4. If you are having difficulty seeing through the windscreen with your head against the headrest, lean your seat further for- ward.
5. If you are sitting upright with proper sup- port behind your back and head, your body will not fatigue as quickly when you are driving.
ADJUSTING THE SEAT HEIGHT
A driver’s seat height adjustment can help you achieve a comfortable seating position. Adjusting the height will make sure you can see through the windscreen properly and also relieves pressure on the back of your thighs when done correctly.
MARCH 2020
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112
