...MEDICAL MATTERS Steps:
1. Lower your seat to the bottom of its travel while you are sitting in it.
2. Slowly raise the seat until the front edge of the seat contacts the back of your thighs lightly.
3. If your seat is too low, your legs and lower back are propping you up, creating pres- sure points that cause pain.
4. If your seat is too high, blood flow is restricted in your lower legs from the pressure on your thighs. Your legs could fall asleep, swell, or be difficult to manoeuvre between pedals.
ADJUSTING THE HEADREST POSITION
The headrest isn’t installed for your comfort. Rather, it is a safety device that prevents whiplash if you are rear-ended in a collision. If positioned improperly, it can be annoying- ly close to your head or too far away to provide the necessary protection in an acci- dent. Proper positioning is important.
Steps: ADJUSTING THE LUMBAR SUPPORT
Only some vehicles have lumbar support adjustments, mainly luxury cars. Having this aspect of your seat adjusted properly will relieve back stress from sitting in your car.
Steps:
1 Retract the lumbar support fully. Some are mechanically operated with a knob and others are an inflatable bladder in the seat.
2. Sit in the seat. It will feel like your back is collapsing into a slouched position just above your hips.
3. Inflate the lumbar support until you make contact. Extend the lumbar support a lit- tle bit at a time. When you feel the lumbar support contact your back, pause for 15 to 30 seconds to adjust to the feel.
4. Inflate the lumbar support until comfort- able. Inflate the lumbar support a little further, pausing after each slight adjust- ment. Stop adjusting when your back no longer feels like it begins to slouch after a pause.
5. If your vehicle does not have a lumbar support adjustment, you can create your own with a hand towel. Fold or roll the towel widthwise so it’s about 1-1.5 inches thick.
6. Sit in the driver’s seat and lean forward and slip the towel behind your back. Slide it down so it is positioned just above your hip bones. Lean back against the towel. If it feels like there is too much support or too little support, adjust the towel roll until it feels supportive but not overly so.
MARCH 2020
These are the proper adjustments for sitting in a car’s seat, particularly the driver’s seat. At first, the seating position may feel awk- ward when it is adjusted correctly. Allow yourself several short trips to get the feel of the positioning. Make adjustments as need- ed if you find you have pain or discomfort. After a few short trips, your new seat posi- tion will begin to feel natural and comfortable.
1. Check the distance from your head to your headrest. Sit normally in your driver’s seat. With your hand, check the distance between the back of your head and the front of the headrest. It should be roughly one inch from the back of your head.
2. Adjust the headrest tilt if possible. This will be a matter of grasping the headrest and pulling it forward or backward if this adjustment is an option.
3. Adjust the headrest vertically. Sitting nor- mally in the seat again, check the headrest height. The top of the headrest should be no lower than your eye level.
Other factors which can cause or increase back pain include poor design of controls making them difficult to operate; poor driv- er visibility making it necessary to twist and stretch; and personal factors such as level of general fitness, being overweight, and choice of leisure pursuits.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have published a leaflet on alleviating back pain and difficulties. Aside from the correct positioning of your steering wheel, seat back, seat height and headrest as previously detailed, it suggests the following tips:
Here are their top tips for drivers:
1. Position your mirrors so that you can eas- ily see all around without straining your back or neck.
2. Take regular breaks. “All drivers should aim to have a break every two to three hours, so that you can move your back, hips and knees. Even a few minutes of walking or stretching will improve your concentration and make the rest of your journey more comfortable.”
3. If your job also involves lifting items in and out of your vehicle - ensure your lower back is kept straight and that you bend from your knees. This will reduce the strain on your back. Your back is very vulnerable when you lift incorrectly, espe- cially after you’ve been static for a long period of time.
WHEN TO SEEK TREATMENT
Sometimes back pain needs further investi- gation. The NHS says you must seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
• Inflammation or swelling on your back • Constant pain that doesn’t ease after rest- ing or movement
• Pain high up in your back or that travels to your chest
• Unexplained weight loss • A high temperature (38C/104F or above) • Loss of bladder or bowel control • If the back pain started after a serious accident
• Numbness or tingling around your but- tocks or genitals
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Go online and search for “Exercises for back pain” and take your pick: it’s all there for the asking.
As with any potential medical problem, prevention is better than cure. So if your daily mantra is to bend over backwards to assist your customers, don’t take that too literally…
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