Interviewed expert: Bao Junping, attending physician of spine surgery center of CUHK affiliated to Southeast University
For drivers, when driving, the body bends forward, which easily makes the physiological curvature of the spine in a tense state, and the attention is highly concentrated. It is difficult to detect physical discomfort. In the long run, it is likely that the cervical spine and lumbar spine will be “red”.
the seat is too backward, and the lumbar spine is getting sore when driving and sitting for a long time, the body leans forward, and the weight of the head, trunk and upper limbs is concentrated in the lumbar spine. There is only one isolated support point. At this time, the pressure borne by the lumbar intervertebral disc is the largest, and it is easy to cause swelling and pain of the lumbar muscles. Some drivers like to adjust their seats to the back, which will lead to drivers having to slide their hips forward in order to get their feet to reach the accelerator, so that their waists are empty and there is no support. The lumbar vertebrae will bear greater pressure, resulting in lumbar strain. It is recommended that the seat position should not be too forward, and the brake pedal should be gently placed with the right foot. The angle between the big and small legs should be about 120 degrees or more. In addition, the backrest should not be too vertical. Try to keep the front chest away from the steering wheel, but ensure that the right hand can shift gears easily.
the headrest is lower than the back of the head, which is easy to cause cervical vertebrae to protrude head restraints are the most easily ignored place by drivers, mainly used to support the head and neck. It can play a buffering role in emergency braking. If the position is too low, it is easy to make the cervical vertebra incline forward and bear too much pressure, causing problems such as cervical vertebra protrusion. The correct height of the headrest should be: the soft part in the middle of the headrest is flush with the upper edge of the ear.
if you don’t wear a safety belt, you will hurt your neck when encountering unexpected sudden braking, due to the inertia of the car, the neck bends forward quickly and then springs back suddenly, which may cause whiplash injury to the cervical spine (just like the reaction when the whip is waved). It is suggested that the driver should not only keep a clear mind and fasten the seat belt, but also control the speed and fasten the seat belt for passengers.
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