If you spend a great deal of time driving, you are at increased risk for experiencing driving related back pain. Your chances of getting a backache are further increased if you already have a history of back pain. Individuals who spend many hours driving as a part of their commute to work, or as a circumstance of their job are more at risk for back pain, back muscle spasms (including piriformis muscle spasms), and sciatica (pain going down the leg). Listed below are some of the reasons why driving can trigger backaches.
First of all, vehicles aren't one size fits all. Even the world's leading automakers can't design a car that perfectly fits every driver on the planet. People are of different heights, with different leg lengths. Their torsos come in different sizes. The most luxurious cars can still contribute to back pain if the vehicle doesn't fit a person well.
Be wary of seats that are angled back too far. Many modern cars and sports cars have aerodynamic shapes with low roof lines. In order to accommodate for taller drivers, car companies attempt to compensate for decreased internal space by lowering the seats and tilting them back at an angle. Not only can this cause an unnatural pelvic tilt in certain drivers, it can also force drivers to angle their heads further forward in order to keep their head level with the road.
Long drives are more prone to cause pain and muscle stiffness. Driving for several hours a day or for multiple days in a row restricts joint and muscle movement. People who already have some arthritis in their back, hips, and pelvis are especially affected.
Physical stress in the form of perpetual vibrations from the vehicle, or being jostled by bumps in the road can cause joint irritation in the shoulder blades, hips, pelvis, and spine. For this reason, drivers of commercial vehicles are even more at risk for back pain.
Driving during poor road conditions due to inclement weather can cause back pain. Examples of this would be driving in the rain, in the fog, at dusk, in the snow, or in strong winds. Driving during such circumstances requires a higher level of alertness for a sustained period of time, which in turn can cause muscle tightness. The muscles typically affected in such situations are the postural muscles of the low back.
Psychological and emotional frustration while on the road can also contribute to back pain. Traffic jams, road construction, and unsafe drivers you are forced to share the road with can lead to anxiety, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. When you enter into fight-or-flight mode, you tend not to notice as much if you have injured yourself. Therefore, you may not be aware if your back muscles have started to spasm.
Driving into the sun can also be a problem. If you are forced to look into the sun you risk getting a headache. However, if you contort your body into an awkward position to avoid gazing into the sun's glare, keeping your spine and skeleton at an unusual angle can cause a backache.
