It’s time to address an urgent issue that affects countless individuals on the road today. Driving exposes you to various risk factors that can lead to serious ergonomic disorders, particularly neck, shoulder, and back pain. In fact, back pain is the most common ailment reported by adults; statistically, 1 in 5 people will experience it each year.
Understand the Causes
It’s crucial to recognize the known causes of back pain related to driving:
- Below are know causes of back pain:
- Poor sitting posture
- Long periods of the same posture
- Whole body vibration
- Repeated lifting of heavy loads
The physical effort needed to sustain a posture over a work day can lead to muscle fatigue as well as contribute to neck and back pain.
Fitting your seat to your body will improve your posture and will help reduce pain, discomfort, fatigue
Seat Fitting Instructions:
Place your feet on the floor and adjust the seat height until knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Your knees should not be higher than your hips.
Lumbar Support:
Fill the lumbar support to meet your back it should provide you a fir yet comfortable level of support.
Seat Bak Angle:
A slight recline in the back is recommended. Position the seat back so the angel between the back and thighs is 100-110 degrees.
Seat Pan Depth:
Position so you can place at least two fingers between the back of knees and the front of the seat pad by lifting it an moving it in or out.
Seat Pan Tilt:
Keep the seat pan flat. Tall drivers may want to elevate the front of the seat to meet your knees.
Steering Wheel Tilt and Depth:
Adjust the wheel to meet you. Elbows should be close to your sides and you should avoid having to reach to meet the steering wheel.
Your health is paramount—don’t let driving-related ergonomic issues dictate your well-being!
