Most of us spend a lot of time driving and it is easy to develop back pain or general discomfort if we do not pay attention to our driving pose.
In this short article, I list a few easy changes that you can make to your seat settings and steering wheel settings to avoid back pain and minimize fatigue due to non-optimal driving pose.
The angle between torso and upper leg
Some people tend to push the seat too far back (mostly men) and some lean forward too much. The optimal value for the angle between the torso and upper leg is about 100 degrees. You can adjust this angle by movingthe back of the seat forward/backward.
The knee angle
The recommended knee angle for driving is about 120 degrees. Move the seat forward or backward to adjust this angle.
The elbow angle
The recommended knee angle for driving is about 130 degrees. Most cars allow you to move the steering wheel closer or farther from you. I have observed a lot of drivers who drive with straight arms (ie, elbow angle close to 180 degrees). Driving in that position puts too much stress on the arms. Try to maintain a 130 degree bend for optimal driving pose and reduce stree on the arms.
Do not slouch
We all tend to slouch when we sit for a long time. Doing so can cause discomfort and, over time, can change our normal posture. Try to maintain an angle close to 190 degree as shown in the figure below.
Upper leg tilt
While driving, it is recommended that your hip to be almost level with your knees. Most cars allow you to change the seat height. Lower or raise the seat height until your hip is almost at the same height is your knees. In the following image, the seat height is a little too low.
Summary
The recommendations in this article can help you reduce fatigue and potentially avoid pain and discomfort associated with being seated for long periods of time in the car.
I am the developer of Stats app for Tesla and recently I have added a new free feature in the Stats app which uses computer vision and AI to analyze your driving pose and make recommendations based on that analysis. You just need to take one image of yourself in the car (similar to the one we have been using in this article). The app does everything else automatically.
For an illustrated list of Stats app features please see maadotaa.com
