Drive to correct seat postures

What's your driving style?

Drivers with poor posture at the wheel are risking what a British ergonomics expert calls repetitive driving injury, an ailment similar to the repetitive strain injury that has dogged the computer industry.

Professor Mark Porter says almost half of Britain's 30 million drivers are at risk of long-term muscle, joint and spinal injuries from the painful new medical condition.

The Loughborough University lecturer says his research revealed the five most common RDI injuries are foot cramp (81 per cent), lumbar pain (74 per cent), stiff neck (74 per cent), side ache (74 per cent ) and headache/eye strain (73 per cent).

He says 48 per cent (14 million) of British drivers already have some form of RDI.

Almost two million British drivers (6.5 per cent) start to suffer from these symptoms after just 15 minutes driving, with 9 per cent of drivers experiencing symptoms after driving 35km, he says.

Porter says women start to feel RDI quicker than men, with 58 per cent of women complaining of car-ache in the first two hours of a journey, compared with only 46 per cent of men.

"Whichever position you drive in, the most important thing to remember is: the greater the number of adjustable features within a car, the greater the likelihood of achieving a comfortable driving posture, says Porter.

He says only one in five British car buyers considered the correct driving posture and comfort important when buying a car.

His drivers fall into four categories: racers, pimps, multi-taskers and rollercoasters.

Porter says important adjustments for drivers include an in/out and up/down steering wheel and a seat with independent height and cushion tilt so you can set the seat height for headroom/ vision and then control the cushion angle for ease of pedal operation and comfort.

Recognise your style of driving?

The racer (19 per cent of drivers)

How to spot: Straight arms, seat reclined, straight legs, low driving position. RDI symptoms: Side aches and lumbar pain. Solution: Low seat positions (and bucket seats) provide limited support for the lower back and sides. To counteract this, assume upright position. Knees should not be higher than your hips.

The pimp (8 per cent)

How to spot: Seat inclined, arm on window ledge, one hand on wheel. Mainly male drivers aged 25-35. RDI symptoms: Arm and shoulder ache from resting on the window ledge. Solution: Sit upright position, with knees lower than hips. You should reach the accelerator and brake without stretching your legs. Roll up the window and keep both arms on steering wheel.

The rollercoaster (37 per cent)

How to spot: Driver is leaned forward and sat upright, seat forward, bent legs and arms. RDI symptoms: Shoulder and neck strain, leg cramp and side ache. Solutions: Relax. Sit back into the seat for better back support.

The multi-tasker (26 per cent)

How to spot: Driver has straight back, arms bent, one hand on gear stick. RDI symptoms: Headaches and eye strain, feet cramp, pain in coccyx. Solutions: 45 per cent of multi-taskers drive for work but they should not use the car as an office. Twisting to access paperwork and the laptop can damage backs and necks. Adjust your seat to help your coccyx. Use a hands-free mobile phone kit. Drive an automatic to avoid constant gear changes and keep two hands on the wheel.