Are you being comfortable?

You could be putting your health at great risk by having the wrong driving posture. Our simple guide aims to help you avoid any injury.

It's probably your posture and not the bad roads and the worn out suspension of your car for that lower back pain that you've been suffering from. It's true. Dodgy seats or a poor driving position could account for your physiotherapy bills. You can reduce the impact simply by sitting properly at the wheel. We'll talk you through the potential problems and the related risks and, more importantly, tell you how to set everything up properly so you can get comfortable in your car. Follow our guide and we'll put you on the road to new-found flexibility.

THE COMPLAINTS

Back pain could not be the only ailment that shows your poor posture. There are other ailments to consider. Foot cramps, neck aches, eyestrain and shoulder tension can all stem from a poor driving position. Even if you feel in tip-top condition now, it's well worth reading on - you could still be doing yourself damage in the long term. Driving injuries are often the result of years of abuse from a poor driving position, so just because you're not experiencing any discomfort right now doesn't mean you aren't damaging your body. It's much tougher to put right an issue than to prevent it in the first place.

It's not all about discomfort and long-term damage, either - how you sit behind the wheel affects your ability to control the car and your chance of injury in a collision. If you sit too far away from the wheel, you might not be able to make the sudden changes of direction necessary to avoid an accident. If you sit too close, you'll increase your chances of injury in an accident - either by hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or even from the airbag. There's more: the part of the seat commonly known as the 'head rest' isn't actually a 'rest' at all - it's a restraint that's designed to prevent your neck being damaged or even snapped in a crash. Despite that, many drivers leave it in the position set at the factory, which means it's of little or no help in an accident.

THE SOLUTION

The simplest thing to do is to set up a good driving position for yourself. It won't take more than a couple o minutes and could instantly make your car journeys healthier, safer and more comfortable. And surely promise to reduce the strain of injuring yourself.
You will be limited by the number of adjustments available in your car, of course. Setting up a decent driving position in many older or cheaper models won't be easy because they generally offer fewer seat and steering wheel adjustments. You might be able to alter only the seatback angle and the distance from the pedals, but even then you should be able to significantly improve matters.
If you end up making major changes, your new driving position will probably feel odd for a while. Stick with it, though, and you'll soon adjust - within a month, all three of our case study subjects felt improvements.

If you suffer from a bad back or another injury aggravated by driving, changing how you sit might not cure the problem, since such complaints are sometimes caused by long-term abuse. Try the new position for a week or so, and if the issue hasn't cleared up, consider seeking one-on-one professional help - or even changing cars if your current motor's driving position isn't very good.

CHOOSING YOUR NEXT CAR

Fuel economy and EMIs are the top things that buyers look at when making a car buying decision. Only a few of them make the driving position a biggest priority when choosing their next car. Comfort might cross your mind on the brief test drive, but chances are it won't get your full attention.

So what should you do? Firstly, read the 'From the drivers seat' and 'Ride and handling' sections of our group tests. The New Car Buyers Guide is a good place to read about for the models you're looking at. Doing so will flag up any flaws in the driving position and ride quality. However, just because a car gets the thumbs-up from us doesn't necessarily mean that it will suit your body shape - you will need to spend a considerable amount of time behind the wheel to check that.

Ride quality is important, too, because whole-body vibrations increase the risk of spinal injury, and when you're sitting down there's already added pressure on the discs. Less vibration through the seat means less stress on your back, so smoother is definitely better.
If you're buying a new car, badger the salesman to let you drive it for a day or so or atleast spend two hours in it(be willing to fill up the tank). Ask to test drive a car in the trim level you're interested in. Demonstration cars are often top-of-the-range models, so may be fitted with adjustments not available in popular trims (such as lumbar support, seat-height adjust and lockable head restraints). Check the brochure carefully to find out which model trims come with which adjustments - a much better driving position might not cost you much more money.

If you're buying a second-hand car, drive it for as long as possible (at least an hour) before deciding, and even consider renting that model for a weekend to test it properly. Either way, take along this magazine and set up the driving position using our 10-point guide before setting out.

Motorists are, understandably, wrapped up in ways to cut costs at the moment, and are overlooking crucial health and safety issues such as their driving position. Changing yours could save your life - and that's no exaggeration. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid any accidents, sitting incorrectly when you're behind the wheel could still damage your body irreparably, and could go on to cause you a great deal of discomfort in the process.

BOX ITEM -
A GOOD CAR MODEL FEATURES THE FOLLOWING POSSIBILITIES FOR ADJUSTMENT:

Height adjustable seating surface (only rake adjustable is unfavorable).
Longitudinal adjustment of the seat.
Steering wheel with height and longitudinal adjustment.
A control lever which is easy to access.
A backrest which is continuously adjustable and high enough - the shoulders should be supported.
Headrest with enough height adjustment - should reach the upper edge of the head.

SETTING UP THE PERFECT DRIVING POSITION
Try this 10-point guide, which is based on recommendations from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (www.csp.org.uk), to set up the perfect driving position in your car. Before you start, take time to familiarise yourself with all the adjustments available.

Step 1
Get seat into the initial set-up position:

• Steering wheel fully up and forward.
• Seat as low as possible.
• Seatbase tilted so the front edge is in its lowest position (if applicable).
• Seatback is approximately 30 degrees reclined from vertical.
  
• Lumbar adjustment fully backed off.
• Whole seat as far back as possible.

Step 2 (if applicable)

• Raise the seat as high as you find comfortable to improve your view.
• Check your head has adequate clearance from the roof lining.
• Ensure your vision of the road isn't impaired.

Step 3

• Move the seat forward until you can fully depress both the clutch and accelerator pedals with ease.
• Check that the seat height is as high as you find comfortable, and that your head has adequate clearance from the roof lining (if applicable).

Step 4 (if applicable)

• Adjust seatbase tilt angle so the thighs are supported by the cushion.
• Check there's no pressure behind
the knee.

Step 5

• Adjust the seatback so it provides continuous support along the back, up to the shoulders - 110 degrees from the base should be about right.
• Avoid an overly reclined position: this will cause excessive forward bending of the head and neck, and may force you to slide forward on the cushion.

Step 6 (if applicable)

• Adjust lumbar support to ensure even pressure is applied along the length of the seatback.
• Ensure lumbar support fits your back and is comfortable, with no pressure points or gaps.

Step 7 (if applicable)

• Adjust steering wheel reach so that the palms on your hands rest on top of the wheel when you straighten your arms (don't lean or stretch forward)
• Move the wheel down until you have a clear view over the top without elongating your neck.
• Check there's adequate clearance for thighs and knees when using pedals.
• Ensure dash display is in full view and not obstructed by the wheel.

Step 8

• Adjust the head restraint so the top is level with the top of your head.
• Check there is a maximum of two inches between the front of the restraint and the back of your head.
Try this 10-point guide, which is based on recommendations from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (www.csp.org.uk), to set up the perfect driving position in your car. Before you start, take time to familiarise yourself with all the adjustments available.

Step 9

• Adjust seatbelt height so it runs across your chest (if applicable).
• Adjust all mirrors for an optimum view of the road behind.

Step 10

• Repeat steps two to nine and fine-tune if necessary.