Sitting in Your Car

The head should "float" comfortably above the spine, allowing free and independent motion of the head and neck without involving the shoulders. The head is thus able to turn 90 degrees to the left and right more easily. The rear view and side mirrors should be adjusted so that they may be seen easily by moving the head and neck freely, without strain.

Car seats, by and large, are notorious examples of poor ergonomic design, so one must usually make the most of a bad situation. First, bring the seatback as close as possible to a perpendicular, upright position. If possible, elevate the seat itself so that the knees are slightly lower than the hips. The concave shape and soft, pillowy nature of most car seats encourage poor sitting habits, which the TruComfort systems are designed to correct by providing firm support for the pelvis and guidance to properly align the head, neck and back.

Keep upper and outer shoulder muscles relaxed so they drape down off the spine. Minimize the involvement of the deep rotator muscles in the shoulder, and allow only small movements of the elbow when steering. Whenever possible, move the arm as a whole, without involving the shoulder. When reaching for a manual transmission shift, keep the hand lower than the elbow and pivot forward from the hip joint, rather than twisting or torquing the lower back, which causes compression of the vertebrae. Release tension in the legs and buttocks and feel the sit bones being firmly supported by the seat.

The hands, like the arms, should remain in a state of active rest relaxed while doing the minimum amount of work to accomplish the task required.

In car seats, the lower the knees are in relation to the thighs, the better. When using either a manual or automatic transmission, both heels should be kept relatively stable and evenly supported by the floor or pedal. When one foot is lifted, don't compensate by dropping other parts of the body. Lead with the big toe, not turning the feet inward or outward, which causes excessive torque of the spine when other movements are added, such as reaching for a gear shift or control panel. Many drivers tend to drop their weight onto the right hip, which when done repeatedly can cause compression and distortion of the spine. TruComfort helps prevent that by providing firm support for the sit bones and guidance to properly align the spine.

Check your sitting habits against these criteria for minimizing the stress of prolonged sitting in your office, in your car - or elsewhere.

To help you develop the sitting the sitting techniques suggested order a TruComfort® seat and back system. It will give you the support and guidance to help you employ these techniques and to sit with true comfort.