Stretches for Your Next Road Trip Adventure

There it is again, that nagging pain in your lower back after a full day of driving. You’ve tried everything - from stretching before and after the car ride - to adjusting your car seat, but the pain doesn’t seem to go away. Weeks go by and you begin to notice that simple tasks, like lifting boxes, carrying groceries and even sitting, have now become increasingly challenging tasks. Unfortunately, unhealthy driving posture habits can plague your day and cause throbbing strains to your lower back, neck and shoulders.

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the average American makes 2.24 driving trips per day. This equates to an average of 31.5 miles covered and 50.6 minutes spent in the car every day. When you factor in this statistic with other variables, data suggests that most Americans spend 12 or more hours in a seated position, which includes time spent in the car, sitting at work or lounging around the house. And with an incorrect posture during any of these activities, getting behind the wheel for prolonged periods of time will only worsen your back, neck and shoulder pains.

Consequentially, poor posture is attributed to personal habits, such as an unnatural stance or bearing, or an improperly adjusted vehicle seat. Over time, when proper lumbar support is disregarded, more stress is placed on the back and spine. However, something as simple as adjusting the position of your vehicle’s seat can go a long way in decelerating discomfort. This theory also applies to activities such sitting at home or work.

Adding to poor posture, while driving, your body experiences tense vibrations that cause it to move up and down due to uneven roads or how fast you accelerate/decelerate. You may also experience pain in your back from the spine twisting during sharp turns. The ultimate culprit, however, is the shape of the vehicle. The shape itself may put unwanted pressure on the back and affect proper blood flow to the legs and feet.

With this, it’s important to understand the inherent risks improper driving postures can have on your body. It’s also helpful to combat these risks with ways to improve your posture to prevent any further damage. This is where we can help! Fortunately for you, we have leading ergonomic specialists from our ATI Worksite Solutions (AWS) team here to better prepare you for your time on the road. With that, we’ve listed off a handful of helpful tips below to make your next road trip an enjoyable one!

Pre-road trip stretches

Click the image above to view the ATI Physcial Therapy-recommened
pre-road trip stretches and suggestions

Car ergonomics and your health

As we mentioned earlier, there are a multitude of variables on the road placing unnecessary loads of stress on the body. To better prepare your body for handling these nuisances, consider these tips:

Car seat and posture

Place your body comfortably on the seat so that your thighs are supported and your knees are slightly bent. The edge of the seat should not press into your posterior knee (i.e. your thighs should extend past the seat), as it can hamper the blood circulation in the legs. Do not sit on a wallet.

Pedal positioning

Move the seat into a position that allows you to comfortably operate the pedals with your foot.

Seat tilt

Tilt your seat so that your hips are between 95 and 110 degrees. And be sure to avoid slouching.

Steering wheel

Change your grip on the steering wheel occasionally and maintain neutral wrist positioning (nine & three o’clock). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers and front-seat passengers should buckle their seat belts and keep about 10 inches of distance between the center of the air bag cover and their breastbone to reduce the risk of air bag injury while still remaining protected by the air bag in the event of a collision.

Legs and pelvis

Leave yourself enough room to freely and safely adjust your legs and pelvis as necessary.  

Frequent breaks

Take frequent breaks every 30 minutes to stretch, break from tedious posture and increase circulation.  

Mirrors

Mirror adjustments are necessary to support good posture. Set your side and rearview mirrors such that you have a full 180-degree view without having to twist or turn your body for the back view.

Troubleshooting tips

A simple test can let you know whether you are seated correctly in your vehicle or not. Place both hands on the steering wheel and look down between your arms and legs until you see equal parts of each leg. Make sure your right leg is not obscured by your right arm. This suggests that the shoulder girdle is rotated to the left in relation to pelvis.

Relieving back pain on the road

Sharp turns, potholes and uneven roads create tense vibrations that put unwanted pressure on your spine. Your body constantly moves up and down while driving on bumpy roads – couple that with acceleration/deceleration and you have the recipe for a painful ending. To avoid causing back pain while driving, consider these options to make your ride smoother:

• Should you have the option, consider driving a compact car, sedan or compact SUV, rather than a larger SUV or pickup truck. The benefit to a more compact vehicle is that it provides a smoother ride due to its low center of gravity. 
• To limit bouncing movements while driving, frequently replacing worn shocks and tires on your vehicle will go a long way in helping to absorb the burdens caused by the road.
• Sit on a pillow or a seat cushion that is fitted to your vehicle’s seat.

Are aches and pains getting in the way of your daily activities?

If simple home interventions are not helping to lessen aches, pains and discomfort, it’s time to see a physical therapist. Stop by your nearest ATI Physical Therapy clinic for a complimentary screening and get back to doing you.