AVOID NECK AND BACK PAIN WHEN DRIVING
NECK AND BACK PAIN OVERVIEW:
NECK PAIN WHEN DRIVING
Neck pain is a common complaint. Neck muscles can be strained from poor posture — whether it’s leaning over your computer or hunching over your workbench. Osteoarthritis also is a common cause of neck pain.
Rarely, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem. Seek medical care if your neck pain is accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm
BACK PAIN WHEN DRIVING
Back problems from driving can occur from poor posture, sustained postures, restricted movement ranges, and decreased variety of movements. Your spine and back are comprised of your vertebrae, the discs and ligaments between and around vertebrae and muscles at the back, side and front of your spin
SYMPTOMS
- Pain that’s often worsened by holding your head in one place for long periods, such as when driving or working at a computer
- Muscle tightness and spasms
- Decreased ability to move your head
- Headache
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO AVOID NECK PAIN
CAUSES OF NECK PAIN
- Muscle strains. Overuse, such as too many hours hunched over your computer or smartphone, often triggers muscle strains. Even minor things, such as reading in bed or gritting your teeth, can strain neck muscles.
- Worn joints. Just like the other joints in your body, your neck joints tend to wear down with age. Osteoarthritis causes the cushions (cartilage) between your bones (vertebrae) to deteriorate. Your body then forms bone spurs that affect joint motion and cause pain.
- Nerve compression. Herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord.
- Injuries. Rear-end auto collisions often result in whiplash injury, which occurs when the head is jerked backward and then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck.
- Diseases. Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer, can cause neck pain.
TIPS TO AVOID NECK PAIN WHEN DRIVING
1. Drive with a good and proper posture.
Your posture determines whether you will go home with neck pain or not. So, it is vital to stick to a correct posture when behind the wheel. Here’s how you can sit properly while driving.
Support your back. Do not lean too far or too near when driving. These positions can strain your back and neck muscles. Instead, adjust the back of your seat at 100 degrees for better back support.
Sit at the right seat height. A low seat position can cause you to extend your neck higher when driving. This puts pressure and tension on your neck muscles. Make sure that your seat is high enough to make your eye level 8cm above the top of the car’s steering wheel.
Adjust your headrest correctly to prevent whiplash. Position your headrest two inches or less from the back of your head. You also need to make sure that the headrest is positioned behind your head at ear level.
2.Take breaks in between long drives.
A long drive is all fun until fatigue starts to kick in. Fatigue is one of the leading causes of neck pain as it puts pressure and tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. Be sure you permit yourself to rest. If you start to feel neck pain in Bend while driving, you can pull over and park safely. Do some stretching during your break to release the pressure and tension in your neck.
3. Avoid driving with poor vision.
Driving with poor eyesight can strain your eye and cause you to lean your neck forward to see the road. Also, this awkward position puts pressure on your neck muscles. If your vision is too bad for driving, then you need to get your eyes checked.
4.Avoid tucking the phone between your ear and shoulder when you talk. Use a headset or speakerphone instead.
5.If you smoke, quit. Smoking can put you at higher risk of developing neck pain.
6.Avoid carrying heavy bags with straps over your shoulder. The weight can strain your neck.
7.Sleep in a good position. Your head and neck should be aligned with your body. Use a small pillow under your neck. Try sleeping on your back with your thighs elevated on pillows, which will flatten your spinal muscles.
EASY REMEDY TO CURE NECK PAIN
●Apply heat or ice to your neck. You can use the cold compress for the first 2 to 3 days and then apply the hot compress after that. Aside from a hot compress, you can also try using heating pads or go for a warm shower.
● Don’t rest your body for too long. Make sure to keep your body moving but avoid vigorous activities.
● You can also purchase a special neck pillow to ease the pain while you sleep.
● Sleep on your side or back. These sleeping positions are suitable for those who have neck pain.
TIPS TO AVOID BACK PAIN WHEN DRIVING
CAUSES.
- One major source of back pain is skeletal muscle including muscle spasm and strains, pulled muscles, strained ligaments and muscle imbalances.
- Slightest injury to the anterior ligaments of the intervertebral disc can cause significant pain.
- Intra-articular tissue associated with synovial joints of the spine can become displaced, pinched and give rise to pain.
- Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia
- Spinal disc herniation
- Ruptured or bulging disks
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Fractures
- Inflammatory disease
- Other causes could be injury, infection, cauda equina syndrome or abnormal curvature of the spine.
PREVENT BACK PAIN
Cold Ice Pack
Back pain is associated with inflammation. Carry ice pack or cold pack. You can keep mini refrigerator in the car. Cold presses soothe inflammation and soreness caused by it.
Car Cushion
Vibration of the car and jolting and bouncing of the car can create nerve tension that can result in back pain. Use car seat cushions or coccyx pillow as shock absorber. The tyres should be well inflated.
Posture and Seat Arrangement
Do not hunch or slump as it makes the spine deviate from its S shape. The whole back should align against the back of your seat. Thus, adjust the seat such that you can engage with the pedals and the steering without having to leave the back of the seat. Adjust the seats such that you can easily see the road; and the hips and the knees are at the same level when the foot rests at the pedals or the car floor. Keep the spine straight and the shoulders square. Pull the steering wheel towards you so that you do not need to stretch up and forward the elbows much. This will put less strain on the arms and neck. Your shoulders should firmly rest against the seat. Head Rest should be at the level with the top of your head or at least at the eye level. Mirrors should be adjusted in such a way, that one needs to sit straight to see through them.
- Begin Tabletop with your hips directly over your knees. Your hands should be shoulder-distance apart and slightly ahead of your shoulders. The wrist creases should be parallel to the front of the mat.
- Press down firmly through your hands.
- Exhale and round your spine toward the ceiling. Drop the crown of your head and your tailbone. Draw your lower belly in and up.
- Push the floor away with your hands to broaden across your shoulder blades.
- Keep the hips over your knees and your arms straight to keep the movement in your spine.
- To release the pose, return to a neutral spine.
Beginner’s tip
Let your head drop naturally by releasing the back of your neck; don’t force your chin to your chest. Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
BENEFITS CAT POSE:
- Gently massages the spine, increasing mobility.
- Stretches the back and neck.
- A great warm up before yoga practice paired with Cow pose.
- Increases circulation of spinal fluid.
- Strengthens the muscles the hands and wrists and prepares them for Downward Dog
- Face the long side of your mat with your arms stretched straight out from your shoulders and your feet parallel to each other in a wide stance. You want your ankles approximately beneath your wrists.
- Turn your right foot and knee to face the front of the mat.
- Angle your left toes slightly in toward the upper left corner of the mat.
- Bend your right knee and stack it over your right ankle.
- Distribute your weight evenly between both legs. Press down through the outer edge of your back foot.
- Keep the crown of your head stacked over your pelvis and your shoulders over your hips.
- Reach strongly through both arms toward the front and back of the mat and turn your head to look past your right fingertips.
- Stay here for 5–10 breaths.
- To come out of the pose, exhale as you press down through your feet, then inhale and straighten your legs. Return your feet to parallel facing the left long side of the mat.
- Repeat on the other side.
Beginners’ tip
Some teachers will ask you to bend your front knee to a 90-degree angle or bring your front thigh parallel to the mat. This is not essential. Pay attention instead to whether your front knee tends to fall inward toward the center of the mat. Resist this by drawing your knee toward the little-toe side of your foot.
Benefits:
The standing posture opens your hips and strengthens and stretches your legs and ankles
HOW TO DO:
- Rest on your knees. Kneel on your yoga mat, resting your buttocks against your heels.
- Bow forward. In your own time, lower your upper body onto your thighs on an exhale.
- Lower your forehead. Rest your forehead on your yoga mat and relax your neck.
- Consider variations.
- Relax.
- Breathe.
BENEFITS OF CHILD POSE:
- Stretching: Child’s pose gently stretches your spine, thighs, hips, and ankles.
- Relaxation: Along with deep breathing exercises, child’s pose can calm your mind, reducing anxiety and fatigue.
- Blood circulation: Child’s pose can increase blood circulation in head
