[GSHA]

Sorry to hear about your back pain Shiv. Do get well soon.

I had back pain in Dec 2006 - started just a week before I sold my Baleno. It lasted into Jan 2007. Though I did not drive a car during that time frame (my Cedia came in Feb 2007), I did use the method below for adjusting car seats to minimize risk of back injury. Lucky for me, the back pain was due to ergonomics and food intake, and not due to car driving.

Hope these steps may help:

1. Move the seat as far back as you can and put the back rest straight
2. Move the seats as high as you can (Driver's seat height adjustment), if equipped. You may want to use cushions. Leave ~4 inches gap between your head and the roof of the car
3. Move the seat forward until the point where, when you depress the clutch completely (floor the clutch pedal), your leg is still bent slightly and not stretched completely. This, I found to be the most important step.
4. Move the back rest to recline from the straight position, until your hand wrist rests on top of the steering wheel.

Well, this method does not result in a sporty looking driving posture. But, I have covered >500km in a day, with no back pain, only the usual fatigue.

Lumbar support: I haven't tried them.

M & M showrooms sell the Lumbar support (pillow like padding on the back rest) for Rs. 750. Fits almost all seat shapes.

[esteem_lover]

I suffered from severe case of cervical spondylosis & had to endure the pain & numbness in my fingers for 40 days before i found the right doctor. The key to these stress related injuries is to make sure you allow your back to relax every now & then by taking breaks & also following a strict excercise regimen. Excercises are specific to each case, consult a good doctor, finding the right one is also very important. These days many docs suggest surgery even before trying out the basic stuff.

Driving a SUV is certainly not the solution not withstanding the fact that they offer upright positions for the driver. The seats are most important even in a SUV.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by DCEite

See this:

I'm sorry - I havent seen this bit of research, but based on personal experience I can confirm that the posture that is shown as 'right' on the diagram is the one that contributes most to lower back pain. Putting equal weight all around on your discs definitely feels better than putting more weight on any one part of your discs.

There is plenty of research quoted in newspapers that also shows that eating chocolates can make you slim and that cigarettes are good for your lungs.

Originally Posted by razor4077

SUV's are not the answer... the Scorpio, for example, left me with a very stiff back after a long drive.

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Driving a SUV is certainly not the solution not withstanding the fact that they offer upright positions for the driver. The seats are most important even in a SUV.

Agreed. SUVs are not the answer - vehicles that allow you to sit properly are. Some of them may be SUVs by virtue of the fact that they allow a more upright posture. However if the seats are bad, even that isnt going to help.

The vehicle recommended here was the Innova, which is NOT an SUV. Its an MUV.

The best seat I have experienced is that on the Ford Mondeo. I've never felt more relaxed on a seat.

[Ford_madhan]

I think why suv is suggested here is, getting in and getting out of the vehicle will be much more easier and seating will be higher.

My dad has the same problem and find it very difficult to get in and get out of my ikon and my brother's santro.

If you are almost 6 feet tall, better option is SUV/MUV than smaller vehicles.

[thefreak]

@Steer

Was it not that Mondeo came with lumbar support?

And also is having lumbar support not an answer to most (not all) of the back pain woes?

[iridium]

Originally Posted by shivmarwaha

hi all
I have been down for 4 wks due to disc prolapse in l4_5 and l5 s1. Bad lower back pain as a result and a complete bed rest. Doc says its because of extensive driving. I have a baleno and drive about 100 km a day. Now i have been off work and would john back soon. Doc says that bucket seats in indian cars are bad as lumber support is nil. Can you suggest mods to the seat to handle this.
Thanks
Shiv

Hi Shiv,

Hope you recover quickly.
When I go on long drives, I do a few stretching exercises and also specific exercises for the lower back.
I take breaks every two hours or 150 - 200kms.
I have tried the lower back support cushion from gsport but haven't found it really useful.
The seats are supposed to be anti-submarine and claim to provide lower back support. However it is also the crouching position in which we sit and getting in and getting out which also cause damage.
This apart the suspension of the vehicle also matters.
My suggestion is to avoid driving till you recover completely.
It might be better to drive a SUV or a vehicle in which the seating position is upright.


Regards
Ravi.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

I suffered from severe case of cervical spondylosis & had to endure the pain & numbness in my fingers for 40 days before i found the right doctor......
Driving a SUV is certainly not the solution not withstanding the fact that they offer upright positions for the driver. The seats are most important even in a SUV.

I agree 100%. I too have cervical spondylosis for the past few years--possibly due to IT job and long drives, apart from reading heavy books in my younger days.
High seating seems to be a misnomer--I have gone for long drives on my WagonR, which offers a high seating position, and on my Fiesta. I've suffered neck pain on my WagonR, and hardly on the Fiesta, which has a far lower seating position.

[razor4077]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

High seating seems to be a misnomer--I have gone for long drives on my WagonR, which offers a high seating position, and on my Fiesta. I've suffered neck pain on my WagonR, and hardly on the Fiesta, which has a far lower seating position.

I guess neck pain and lower back pain are caused by different factors.
The lumbar support (or lack of it) provided by the seat determines the comfort level of the lower back, while the contour of the upper part of the seat, along with the positioning of the head rest would contribute to the neck.
The best neck support I have received is in the Santro... I guess the upright seats have something to do with this. In cars like the Lancer and City I have seen that one has to lean back to get support from the headrest. Since this isn't the best position to adopt while driving, most of the time the neck is strained forward with no support, leading to fatigue and stiffness.
Using the neck support pads that are available in most accessory stores helps alleviate this problem to a certain extent. However, it's not the best fix. Again, if someone knows of a better way to get neck support, please share it with us.

[BlackPearl]

I also have slipped disc, but I can vouch in favour of the seats of Baleno. I have driven throughout the length and breadth of the country in my car and have never faced any problem, whereas I could not drive for more than 2 hours at a stretch in my Palio and about 1.5 hours in my wife's alto. The worst seats I have come accross are those of the zen and Scorpio. IMO in an SUV the best seat is that of a Safari and then in MUV its got to be Innova. So IMO dumping the Baleno will not be a good solution as the others would be even less satisfactory.

[shivmarwaha]

thanks guys for all your wishes. I am following team bhp using my phone so would not be able to type much.
It seems that disc prolapse is not very uncommon. Doc advised me not to drive and use a cushion while sitting.

Lumber support used to be available on 3.0 safari. I have on clue on 2.2. The repeated stress on discs due to driving posture is the cause. Why dont the car makers think of proper ergonomics while designing seats.

Amaron seems to be a good product and i think i will buy it when i am up and running.


Thanks friends once again

[shivmarwaha]

i found seats in my old ikon more upright and comfortable than baleno.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

I also have slipped disc, but I can vouch in favour of the seats of Baleno. I have driven throughout the length and breadth of the country in my car and have never faced any problem, whereas I could not drive for more than 2 hours at a stretch in my Palio and about 1.5 hours in my wife's alto. The worst seats I have come accross are those of the zen and Scorpio. IMO in an SUV the best seat is that of a Safari and then in MUV its got to be Innova. So IMO dumping the Baleno will not be a good solution as the others would be even less satisfactory.

[brainscooper]

Hi,
It is not clear from your message whether you suffer only low back pain, or also additional features of a lumbar disc prolpase, such as radiating pain along the side or back of your legs, numbness in legs (below knees), weakness of big toe or difficulty in walking on your toes or heels. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, you will need an MRI scan (if not already taken) and probably will require surgery. On the other hand, if your symptoms are better with bed rest, I would suggest that you start and continue (that is the most difficult part) spinal strengthening exercises in consultation with a good physiatrist (a doctor who specialises in rehabilitation) or a physiotherapist.

Additionally, dump your Baleno as suggested by Steeroid, and go for a car where you can climb in and out as against crawling in and out. The new diesel Fusion is an option if you drive nearly 100km a day, and is cheaper than an Innova. Just make sure you take the extended warranty and total maintenance plan.

Try using the lumbar supports that are available in many leading car accessories stores. I am not sure how effective they are, but probably they are better than nothing. If nothing helps, I can only suggest that you move to a place closer to work so that you dont have to drive so much, and employ a driver ( you will be able to move around in the seat occasionally, which you cant do while driving). It is also a good idea to get out of the car and stretch for 5 minutes every 30 minutes or so, if possible. You should also do this while at work, getting out of your chair and walking around for a few minutes every half an hour or so.

Incidentally, I am a neurosurgeon, so all this is professional advise that you are getting for free (which means you cannot sue me!)

[thefreak]

Ah! there is our man! Looks like Steer got the message through to him! Kudos!

[tsk1979]

Love your nick doc. Its very fitting for your profession.
thanks for the free advice. Could you offer some for sufferers of Neck pain too.
Even cars with upright seating and good lumbar support(including ones in the US ofA) neck support is lacking.
I have seen some neck support cushions in accessory shops, are they any useful?

[srishiva]

[quote=Steeroid;604937]I'm sorry - I havent seen this bit of research, but based on personal experience I can confirm that the posture that is shown as 'right' on the diagram is the one that contributes most to lower back pain. Putting equal weight all around on your discs definitely feels better than putting more weight on any one part of your discs.

There is plenty of research quoted in newspapers that also shows that eating chocolates can make you slim and that cigarettes are good for your lungs.


The chair on the extreme right does have enough lumbar support and its supposed to distribute the weight across your back.

To strengthen your lower back, walk with your butt contracted. This strengthens your lower back.