Commuting by car can affect your posture.
How can a physio help?
Whether you spend hours behind the wheel each day, you have a drive to work or you spend hours taxiing your family around each week, it is important to be comfortable to avoid aches and pains related to driving. It is crucial to get your posture right! Here you can follow some easy tips to keep your body healthy and prevent unnecessary injuries.
Avoid prolonged positions.
No matter how good your posture is, if you stay in one position for a long time, there is potential for discomfort and injury. When you are not moving, the blood supply to the muscles reduces and over time your muscles become tired. This makes it difficult to maintain correct posture, and your body is not ready for action. Movement or activity after sitting for a long period of time is often associated with injury since the body is not "warmed-up" for the action. So getting out of a car after a prolonged journey can be a vulnerable time.
Small movements and regular shifts in body weight can help your body maintain circulation throughout the body during driving. In addition, it is important to get out of the vehicle on a regular basis for a quick walk and stretch break. (Obviously make sure the vehicle has parked up otherwise you'll end up with a much more serious injury!) I would recommend stopping every two hours to get out and have a two minute walk around the vehicle followed by stretching as shown by your Physiotherapist. It may be advised that you need to stop more regularly if you are suffering from other injuries. It is best to be advised by your Physiotherapist.
For information on how to position your car seat follow the link below:
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