Back Pain from Driving

Most people spend hours every week in an automobile driving for work, family, pleasure, grocery shopping, and many other reasons. We usually adjust the seat, mirrors, and steering wheel positions the day we get the car and never change anything after that unless you share it with somebody else. Most of us are thinking about where we need to be versus what we are doing with our bodies in the vehicle. Sitting in the same position day after day will put consistent stress on the body that can lead to aches, pain, numbness, tingling, and downright discomfort. These problems can be caused by structural shifts in the skeleton, specifically the pelvis and spine.

Here are a few things you can do to help reduce the shifts and lessen your back discomfort.

1. Check Your Position: Most cars have bucket seats and that can cause you to sit angled. Make sure you are in the center of the seat before driving as you may have your left hip sitting on the lip of the bucket closest to the door.
2. Change the Back of your Seat: Move the back of your seat frequently into a new position to allow the spine to have different pressures on it daily.
3. Tuck your Chin: Pull your chin back for 20 to 30 seconds and allow the back of your head to touch the headrest every 20 to 30 minutes.
   Should you still have these problems, consult with a physician for a diagnosis. Structural shifts are common, and chiropractic is one of the best profession to detect and correct these shifts.

Dr. Jason Alviene
Chiropractor