Burning Back Pain Caused by Driving Posture
Statistics show that driving is the number one cause of back pain. If you’ve ever experienced burning back pain caused by driving, the following information may be useful to you. Whether you’re driving to work during rush hour traffic or traveling longer distances for many hours, it’s important to pay attention to your driving posture or you could end up with burning back pain. In fact, improper posture while driving can cause neck pain, shoulder pain, upper as well as lower back pain, a stiff neck, and foot cramps. Poor driving posture can also contribute to fatigue, which is very dangerous since it’s important to be alert while on the road.
The first thing to address is the placement of the driver’s seat. Consult your automobile’s manual to see what adjustments you can make in your vehicle. Raise the seat so that you can easily see three inches over the steering wheel without compromising your head to ceiling space. If your car doesn’t allow you to raise the seat to the proper level, consider purchasing a seat cushion to elevate your body to the proper height.
Next, make sure you can comfortably reach the accelerator and brake pedals. Shorter people often have problems with this and may need to add a back cushion to place their body closer to the pedals. Stretching too far can cause leg and foot cramps, fatigue, and burning back pain. You should be able to press both pedals completely to the floor without stretching. Make sure that this movement is done with the foot and not just the toes. Keep in mind that each time you make a new adjustment, you will need to go back and double check any previous adjustments, to make sure they are still accurate.
Once you’re comfortable with your seat alignment and cushion placements, you can start working with the steering wheel. Most steering wheels are adjustable and can be changed easily. Remember that airbags are contained in the steering mechanism, so try to make sure that the wheel is at least 10 inches away from your chest to minimize any chance of injury in case of an emergency airbag deployment. The steering wheel should be pointing at your chest and not at your head. Most airbag injuries are head and face related, so pay close attention to how your steering wheel is aligned.
You’re almost ready to take that relaxing drive! Make sure that you keep your arms slightly bent, with your wrists resting comfortably on top of the wheel. This will help protect your arms from cramping and fatigue. Temperature control is also conducive to comfort and alertness while driving. It’s also important to relax while staying focused and alert. Driving under stressful situations can cause you to grip the steering wheel too tightly. If you find that you are gripping too tightly, then you are probably too tense all over, which can lead to burning back pain. Consider taking a break so you can get out of the car and stretch before continuing with your drive.
