3 Tips to Prevent Leg & Back Pain from Car Rides

On average, people can spend a total of 4.3 years of life in their cars. That’s quite a bit of time staying seated in a car seat. With so much time being spent in our cars, you can see why so many people end up having leg and back pain from car rides.

No matter if you are going on a long car ride, have a daily commute, or you’re already experiencing pain in your back and legs, there are a few things you should know to help combat this… Which is what we are going to cover!

Let’s talk about 3 tips to prevent leg and back pain from car rides.

One of the most important things you can do to prevent leg and back pain while in a car is to use proper posture. This means sitting up tall, with your shoulders back, and keeping your core engaged. This will help keep your spine in alignment and reduce the amount of stress that is put on your back and legs.

If you are having a hard time maintaining good posture while driving, try using a lumbar support pillow or placing a rolled-up towel behind your lower back. This will help keep you from slouching and will give your spine some extra support.

Having good posture takes practice and can be draining at first, but once you train your body to sit properly, you can help to alleviate and prevent aches such as back pain from sitting in a car.

Another key to preventing pain in your back and legs is to take frequent breaks. If you can, get out of the car and walk around for a little bit every hour or two to stretch out your legs and back. This will help keep your muscles from getting stiff and tight, which can lead to pain.

Spending extended periods of time in a car can restrict blood flow to your lower extremities, which can cause flexion. This is a compressive force in your spine. Being able to stop, stand, walk, and stretch your spine is going to allow you to release that compression.

Which in turn will allow the blood to flow through the nerve and provide you with better flexibility and help to prevent back or hip pain from a car seat.

Sitting in a car is quite different then sitting at your work desk or the kitchen table.

When you drive a vehicle, your hands and arms are higher than when you would be at a normal table. To operate the brake and accelerator pedals, you must extend your legs farther forward than when sitting at a desk. One foot might be flat on the floor while the other is placed at an angle to operate the accelerator and brake pedals.

These all make a big difference and can be a major contributing factor in bringing on back pain, leg pain, and more.

To prevent this, you should adjust your car seat to the appropriate height. There are many different ways to adjust the seat in your car so be sure to read up on the best way.

Whether you’re going on an epic road trip across the country or just commuting to work every day, it’s important to take care of your body. These tips for long car rides will help you to ensure you don’t end the trip with leg or back pain from sitting in your car too long.

If you’re experiencing back pain or leg pain from driving a car or if you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident, set up an appointment with us here at Chinook Rehab Centre. We specialize in helping patients recover from this type of pain. Get your life back to normal and give us a call or schedule an appointment online today!