How you sit in your car can be responsible for the aches and pains most of us get when driving long distances - which is not surprising when 25 percent of British drivers in a recent survey admitted they didn't know how to adjust their car seats correctly for comfort and safety.
Ergonomics experts are now calling these driving aches Repetitive Driving Injuries (RDI) and say many drivers are risking serious long term muscle, joint and spinal injuries.
Car auction website eBayMotors commissioned an independent poll of 1000 UK motorists and this is what it found:
The five most common Repetitive Driving Injuries were foot cramp (suffered by 81 percent of the drivers polled), back pain (74 percent), stiff neck (74 percent), side ache (74 percent), and headache/eye strain (73 percent).
6.5 percent suffered discomfort after only 15 minutes driving with nine percent of drivers getting symptoms after driving only 35km (assuming an average speed of 70km/h).
Charlie Coney of eBayMotors commented: "Only one in five considered comfort an important factor when buying a car - even though eight out of ten drivers have suffered from RDI's."
Ergonomics expert Professor Mark Porter of Loughborough University was asked to identify the four most common driving positions and their related problems. The results revealed UK drivers were a nation of "Racers", "Pimps", "Multi-taskers" and "Rollercoasters" - which are you?
(37 percent of drivers)
The driver is leaned forward, sitting upright with the seat forward, bent legs, bent arms.
Common symptoms: Shoulder pain, neck strain, leg cramp and side ache.
- Relax! Tense and nervous drivers are more likely to adopt this position leading to tense shoulders so try to avoid driving situations that stress you out.
- When buying a car, go for one with a fully adjustable interior package. Ensure the height of the back rest reaches the shoulders and doesn't obstruct rearward vision.
- Sit back more into the seat to get better back support.
- Take regular breaks where you can get out of the car to stretch your legs.
26 percent
Driver has straight back, arms bent, one hand on gear lever. 45 percent of people who work out of their vehicles are Multi-Taskers.
Common symptoms: Headaches and eye strain, foot cramp, pain in coccyx.
- Try not to use your car as an office - twisting to access paperwork and the laptop can be more damaging to your back and neck than driving.
- Regularly adjust your seat on long journeys to help your coccyx.
- Use a 'hands-free' mobile phone kit.
- Consider changing to an automatic to avoid constant gear changes and keep two hands on the wheel.
19 percent
Driver's arms are straight, seat reclined, straight legs, low driving position.
Common symptoms: Side aches and lumbar pain.
- Be aware low seat positions (and bucket seats) provide limited support for the lower back and sides. Assume a fairly upright position.
- Knees should not be higher than your hips - it reminds you to sit up!
19 percent
Seat inclined, arm on window ledge/outside window, one hand on wheel. Male drivers aged 25-35 are most likely to be 'Pimps' behind the wheel.
Common symptoms: Arm and shoulder ache from resting on the window ledge.
- Sit in a fairly upright position, with knees lower than hips. You should be able to reach the accelerator and brake without stretching your legs.
- Close the window and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
The poll also found:
- Women start to feel RDI's quicker than men, with 58 percent of women complaining of car-ache in the first two hours of a journey, compared to 46 percent of men
- Drivers of 4x4s are most prone to RDI's
Professor Porter commented: "Whichever position you drive in, the two most important things to remember when choosing your next car are:
- The greater the number of adjustable features within a car, the greater the likelihood of achieving a comfortable driving posture.
- Important adjustments include height and reach adjustment on the steering column and a seat with independent height and cushion tilt so you can set the height of the seat for headroom/vision and then control the cushion angle for ease of pedal operation and comfort."