This blog post is a step-by-step guide on how to adopt the proper posture whilst driving in your car.
For you to be reading this blog post, my assumption is that you probably spend a certain amount of time sitting in a car. And perhaps – are experiencing some sort of pain or discomfort in your neck, shoulders or back?
If so – please consider the steps, tips and suggestions offered in this blog post to achieve your best sitting posture in the car.
Bad posture for driving
Before we cover the ideal driving posture, we must first have a look at how most people are sitting in the car.
Characteristics:
This poor sitting posture may be associated with any symptoms that you are experiencing whilst driving.
The Correct posture for driving
STEP 1: Seat Height Adjustment
STEP 2: Seat Position From Pedals
STEP 3: Slide Into The Seat
STEP 4: Pelvis Position
STEP 5: Lumbar Support
STEP 6: Torso Position
STEP 7: Shoulder Position
STEP 8: Head Position
STEP 9: Elbow Position
STEP 10: Exercises In The Car
1. Seat Height adjustment
Aim to keep your car seat height as high as possible… providing that:
- You can maintain complete vision of the road.
- Your head does not hit the roof of the car.
- Your feet can comfortably reach the foot pedals.
- It does not impede your ability to drive safely.
Ideal Seat Height
Ideally – the hips should sit slightly higher than the knees.
Advantage Of Higher Car Seat Position
The main advantage of a higher car seat position is that it makes it easier to position your pelvis in a more neutral position. (This will be covered in Step 4.)
If the car seat is relatively too low, this can encourage a domino effect where the pelvis tilts backwards, lower back rounds, upper back slouches forwards, shoulders round forwards and head pokes forwards.
2. Seat Distance From Foot Pedal
Another key point to note is that car seat should be positioned within reasonable distance to the foot pedals.
How to determine what is reasonable distance?
Slide the car seat forwards or backwards so that the knees are bent at approximately 120-135 degrees when the feet are comfortably in contact with the foot pedals.
(Keep in mind – you will also need to take into consideration how it feels reaching for the steering wheel.)
If your legs are in a more of a straightened position and you suffer from tight hamstrings, your pelvis will start to rotate backwards and cause the entire posture to slouch.
(Note: For those people who drive a fairly low car (like a sports car), you may have limited options when it comes to adjusting the seat position.)
3. Slide Into Car Seat
Before we set up the body into the ideal sitting posture, I would strongly recommend that you learn how to “slide into the car seat”.
This will help reduce the amount of compression in the lower back whilst you are driving.
Follow these steps:
- Sit down on the car seat.
- Place both hands on the sides of the seat.
- Push down with your hands and lift your hips slightly off the seat.
- Push your lower back and hips directly into the back of the seat.
- Allow your body to “slide down” on the seat backing.
What should it feel like?
There should be a subtle pulling sensation throughout the lower back.
(Note: Make sure that there is no gap between the back of the pelvis and the seat backing.)
4. Pelvis Position
To place your pelvis in a more neutral position, tilt your pelvis slightly forwards.
If performed correctly, you should feel a small amount of tension in the muscles of your lower back.
Be careful not to over tilt your pelvis forwards as this will cause an excess amount of tension in your lower back.
(Note: Most people tend to sit with their tail bone tucked underneath.)
5. Use a lumbar support
Most newer cars are fitted with a built-in lumbar support in the seat which can be adjusted accordingly to the shape of your back.
The main aim with the lumbar support is to preserve the neutral arch of your lower back.
If your car seat does not have any lumbar support, consider using a rolled up towel or a small pillow instead.
(Note: Make sure that you are not over pronouncing the curve of your lumbar arch.)
6. Torso Position
Your rib cage should “float” evenly above your pelvis.
Sit long and tall. Imagine someone holding onto the sides of your torso and gently lifting your rib cage upwards.
Do not allow the weight of the torso to collapse downwards.
7. Head Position
Think of your head “floating” above your body.
This is to help keep the neck elongated upwards and place the head in a more neutral position.
Do not allow your chin to poke forwards.
8. Shoulder Position
Here is a quick way to place your shoulders into a more ideal position.
Instructions:
- Reach and stretch out your hands as far to opposite sides as possible. (see above)
- Retraction: Slightly bring your arms backwards.
- Make sure you can feel a gentle contraction between your shoulder blades
- Posterior Tilt: Turn your palms towards the back so that your thumbs are almost pointing towards the floor.
- Take note of your shoulder position. Keep this position! And gently lower your arms by your side.
- Think: “Wide and long shoulders”.
- Do NOT over squeeze your shoulders back together.
Note: You won’t have enough room in the car to perform this maneuver. Become familiar with how it feels so that you can automatically correct your shoulder position whilst you are in the car.
9. Elbow position
Ideally – Keep your elbows low and close to your body.
Do not allow your elbows to flare out (especially if you have shoulder issue).
When the elbows are flared out, this tends place more pressure on the shoulder structures.
10. Exercises In The Car
Ultimately – Even if you have the best sitting posture, the fact that you are stuck in the sitting position for long car rides will still place pressure on the body.
The solution: Exercises in the car!
(Keep in mind: Your safety is the most important! If you feel that these exercises impede your ability to drive, please re-consider doing them. Perform these exercises at your own risk.)
Perform the following exercises when the car is stationary. (For example – You can perform these exercises when you are waiting at a red traffic light.)
Chin Tucks
Instructions:
- Rest your head back on the head rest.
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- Nod your chin downwards.
- Aim to feel a stretch at the back of your neck.
- Hold for 3-5 seconds.
- Repeat as many times as you can before you need to drive.
Scapula Retraction
Instructions:
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Aim to feel the muscles between your shoulder blades contract.
- Hold for 3-5 seconds.
- Repeat as many times as you can before you need to drive.
Pelvic Tilts
Instructions:
- Gently tilt your pelvis forwards.
- Aim to feel a firm contraction in the muscles in the lower back.
- Relax
- Repeat as many times as you can before you need to drive.
Glute Activation
Too much sitting in the car may lead to the gluteal muscles becoming weaker.
Instructions:
- Sit up tall.
- Push the outside of your knees against your car.
- Feel your glute muscles contract!
- Hold this position for as long as you can until you need to drive again.
Conclusion
Next time you are in the car, make sure to implement the suggested tips and exercises to encourage a better sitting posture.
Any questions? Let me know in the comment section.
What to do next
- Any questions?… (Leave me a comment down below.)
- Join me:
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- Start doing the exercises!
Disclaimer: The content presented on this blog post is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of the content provided on this blog post is at your sole risk. Seek guidance from a healthcare professional before starting any exercise and/or implementing any recommendation. For more information: Medical Disclaimer.
Hi Mark, just wanted to say I found your tips to improve your posture while driving. Preparing for a cross country road trip and I struggle with back pain on long trips, so I think they will be a god-sent, thank you very much!
Hey Lars,
Remember to take strategic breaks, set up the car seat as best as you can and move the back every opportunity you can.
All the best!
Mark
good article
Have any tips for bucket car seats past 2009? I was reading that the newer standards have a headrestraint (not head rest) and it has been designed for larger North American’s with poor posture. To sit without the restraint pushing on my head, I folded a towl at the back of the bucket (horizontal) and angled the seat at about 10 degrees back (vertical). However, my shoulders are now 1-2 inches away from the seat (which at least gets me away from the boalsters that were pushing my shoulders and arms forward – but it is not sustainable to have no support). Being 6’1″, my head is already close to the roof. I feel like I need something wedge shaped to fill the gap at the top of the seat. Ideas?
It looks like you drive a car with the older style headrest… So I guess your lucky. ?
Hey Troy,
Car seats are horrible :(
They are more so designed for accidents, but not so great for posture.
Only way around it is to avoid driving long distances (not practical in most cases), getting a new car with better seats (also not always practical) or doing exercises in the car to keep your body moving.
The danger of posture is when we stay there for way too long!
There are some things like seat wedges, lumbar supports, neck supports etc that might be able to help.
Mark
Mark, I’ve been searching high and low for good orientation for driving posture and your post is amazing :) I always keep a good driving posture in the car, though I do have a preference for keeping my seat low – as a car enthusiast, I admit it simply feels better for driving, for.. feeling the car. Been trying to avoid back pain, so I make sure I exercise, stretch and do all the other parts right.
My current car has a somewhat hard seat rest so my lower back feels like it’s resting against a hard surface rather than a cushioned seat, I’m still trying to figure out if it’s a problem with the seat or if I’m just unused to it.
In any case, your stretching tips and exercises are helping me a lot. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us :)
I had a herniated disc and without surgery and in a matter of a couple of months have become completely pain free. The main difference I have made is that when driving I no longer tilt my seat back. I now have my seat nearly straight up so I can keep my head and shoulders back against the seat instead of slouching forward and reaching for the steering wheel.
I spent all last summer thinking my life was over due to the extreme pain and now my back is better than it has ever been. I can now drive all day long or lift heavy weights all day long with absolutely no pain.
Hey Patrick,
That’s awesome news! Great to hear it!
Sounds like changing your seat position placed your pelvis in a more neutral position.
Mark
I have an anterior anterior pelvic tilt, and always have problems with long drives and the around my sacrun and lower back. Any suggestions for posture exercises or positions while driving for this condition?
Hey David,
To be honest, it is actually very difficult to maintain good posture in a car seat.
The main reason behind this (I think) is that the car seats are designed to be safer for whiplash injuries during a motor vehicle accident.
In regards to your Anterior pelvic tilt, The main thing is to keep your pelvis is a Neutral position as much as possible.
Check out this post here
Mark
Hi, Thanks for the useful post. I am currently suffering a pinched nerve due to driving. I have tried adjusting the seat a lot to find the sweet spot . Once I find a comfortable position it still feels like my neck is being pushed forward and now I’m in agony. I have purchased a back joy to help with my posture, hopefully that helps.. other than that it’s been a painful journey thus far.
Hi Joe!
Sitting is terrible for posture… especially when you’re driving in the car. Unfortunately, cars are never really designed to promote the ideal posture.
Have you had a look at this post regarding your head position? https://posturedirect.com/forward-head-posture-correction/
Mark
Thank you for the post! My chiropractor has been working on my neck pain and we’ll be driving to California for the holidays. He stressed that I have proper posture while I’m driving or it could increase the pain for the week we’re staying with family. Is it OK to drive with a neck pillow or will that mess with your posture?
Hi Jennifer,
If you feel that your head is straining over long periods of driving, a neck pillow (one of which does not push your head forward) may provide some support. However – I would suggest using it intermittently throughout the trip as opposed to all the way.
Also – if you are not the one behind the wheel, you can try reclining your chair so that your head is resting on the head rest which will offload your neck muscles.
Thank you for the comment. Happy travels!