And don’t forget to take a break!Vehicle ergonomics
Our vehicle ergonomics specialists help you improve the wellbeing of your drivers....
Our vehicle ergonomics specialists help you improve the wellbeing of your drivers....
Take the pain out of driving
Ergonomics
Don’t let back pain spoil your journey
With lockdown restrictions easing, more of us are getting out and about. To help control coronavirus, the Government advise walking or cycling, but this is not always possible, so driving is likely to increase. Follow our practical steps to help you find a comfortable driving position.
7 Steps to reducing back pain
Take the time to familiarise yourself with the many adjustments in your car (e.g. seat, steering wheel), then follow these 7 steps to find the most comfortable driving position:
- Raise the seat as high as is comfortable to improve your vision of the road. Check you have adequate clearance from the roof and maximum vision of the road.
- Move the seat forwards until you can easily fully depress the clutch and accelerator pedals. Adjust the seat height as necessary to give good pedal control.
- Adjust the seat tilt angle so that your thighs are supported along the length of the cushion. Avoid pressure behind the knees.
- Adjust the back rest so it provides continuous support along the length of your back and is in contact up to shoulder height. Avoid reclining the seat too far as this can cause excessive forward bending of the head and neck and you may feel yourself sliding forwards on the cushion.
- Adjust the lumbar support to give even pressure along the length of the back rest. Ensure the lumbar support ‘fits’ your back, and is comfortable with no pressure points or gaps.
- Adjust the steering wheel for easy reach. Check for thigh/knee clearance when using the pedals. Ensure the dashboard display is in full view and not obstructed.
- Adjust the head restraint to ensure the risk of injury is reduced in the event of a car accident.
- Repeat stages 1-7 and fine tune as necessary.
And don’t forget to take a break!
A good driving position can reduce unnecessary discomfort and back problems. But any posture, no matter how good it is, can cause discomfort if it is held for too long – so you should also take regular breaks.
The Highway Code recommends taking a break of at least 15 minutes from driving, every two hours. This should be the maximum length of time you drive without a break, and on each break, get out of your car, walk around and stretch.
We offer a full range of ergonomic services, to speak to one of our ergonomics specialists get in touch.
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