How to Drive and Maintain Good Posture

Modern cars provide lots of ways to set up the driver’s seat and steering wheel – height, forwards and back, cushion angle, seat back angle, and so on. Many luxury cars go even further with multi-way seat and pedal adjustments. Yet despite this flexibility, many drivers reach their destination with stiff legs, an aching back, and a crick in their neck.

The problem is posture, or more accurately, bad posture. The human body just wasn’t made to sit with arms and legs outstretched for hours at time. Muscles stiffen and joints, especially in the spine, compress. Throw in vibration and the need to brace against braking, cornering, and acceleration forces, and it’s a wonder people still put up with the process!

People who spend hours in the driver’s seat frequently suffer a variety of injuries resulting from poor posture. Neck strain is common, as are lower back pain and stiff legs. These are often caused by having the seat reclined too far, sitting too close to the wheel, and twisting.

Resting an elbow on the top of the door or an armrest twists the spine, as does rotating a leg to get a foot on the pedals comfortably. This is a particular issue with manual transmissions where both feet are used. And for men, sitting on a wallet placed in the back pocket of their pants twists the hips and spine.

But even if you know the importance of maintaining good posture, it’s not easy to do. According to ergonomists at the UK’s Loughborough University, it’s all about seat position. Here are a few tips from their website, Driving Ergonomics.

Start by setting the seat as high as you can without bumping your head on the roof. Then slide it forward until you can push the gas pedal all the way down—but don’t sit any closer than needed. If the seat has cushion angle adjustment, tilt it up so your thighs are fully supported, but try to avoid pressure behind the knees.

Then adjust the angle of the seat back. A common mistake is to recline it too far, tipping the head forward and loading up the neck. Ideally, the back should be supported all the way up to the shoulders. Many seats provide additional support for the lower back or lumbar region, so dial this in until your spine is supported along its length.

Now put the steering wheel in a comfortable position and the head restraint at the correct height. With this done, adjust the mirrors for the best possible rearwards view.

One aspect of driving posture that that gets debated is the position of the hands on the wheel. The experts at Ergologic.net have some advice on this. They’ve found that while the “quarter to three” position is often recommended, the hands aren’t well supported, creating tension in them and the shoulders. Instead, they recommend a “ten to two” position with hands resting on the wheel.

Last, take regular breaks when on a long drive. Stop every two hours or so, get out and walk around to give your muscles and joints a chance to move in to new positions.

Driving is hard on the body, so car makers incorporate as much flexibility in seating position as possible. This should let every driver maintain a good posture, but it also increases the chances of finding the wrong position. Take a few minutes to set your seat up properly and avoid the stiff legs, back ache, and cricked neck.

Your peace of mind is our priority at Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville. For more on the road tips, visit us today.