Spine Health for Drivers

An extract from a recent article on "Mind Your Body"(25 Sep 2009), which resonants with my previous entry "Good Posture for Drivers":

Rev up on Healthy Driving

"Back to comfort

Sitting in a car is quite different from resting on a couch because when the vehicle is moving, the body is subject to different forces - accelerations and decelerations, lateral swaying and up-down vibrations, said Dr Fong Shee Yan, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

To minimise back and neck discomfort, he said, have car seats with good lumbar cushion support for the lower back and headrests for neck support.

Car seats should recline at about 100degrees horizontally, with the knees slightly above hip level. The driver's seat should be moved close to the steering wheel to best support the curve of one's back and to allow the knees to bend.

During a long drive, it is important to take frequent rest breaks and do some stretching exercises to ease the discomfort and pressure on the spine."