# cars and back pain



## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

In short my car is giving alot of back pain and I would like to know if there's anyting that will solve it. I had thought about a back support but do they actually work?

I have a 2007 Corsa D SXI and do a 100 mile a day commute mostly on the motorway, the combination of a poor driving position, terrible seats and no where for my left foot is progressively crippling me. The problem is that the driving position isn't quite right for someone my size (5'8 and 11.5 stone), the seats have a fair bit of side support but they're just slightly too narrow, the back rest and base are completely flat and too hard so there's not enough support for my lower or upper back, the top of the seat is too narrow and angled wrong meaning there's no support there either. There's also no where for me to put my left foot which gives me pains in my ankle, knee and left ar$e cheek.

thanks in advance for any replies :thumb:.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

I have the same issue after 3 operations on my lower spine. I nearly through in the towel on detailing . I take co- codamol and naproxen before a session . It's the only thing that makes it bearable .


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

simple answer is to sell it, You could fit an aftermarket seat such as a Recaro which would make it more comfortable but that isn't going to solve the space in the footwell, I had a similar problem with my Golf TDi, the leather beeding cut into the back of my legs.

MY Leon Cupra has a comfortable seat but at the moment the combination of firm suspension and crap roads is giving me back/neck ache. So much so that last weekend I hired a car for a bit more comfort, although a B Class merc with sports suspension probably wasn't the best choice ... 

100 miles a day in a Corsa probably isn't the best, look for something like an old vectra or mondeo to do the commute in.


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

I have too suffered this issue mate.. I am 5ft 8 and 17 stone and had the same issue with an Audi A3 sport back in 2004, what made it worse was the car was brand new! the pain I experienced and by the sounds of it you are too is sciatica, this is due to nerve root compression in the lumbar region of your spine. I tried some seat padding and cushions and to be honest the un-natural support made things worse! my only option was to change cars, and I also opted to have an MRI scan to check for problems, which highlighted a bulging disc... 

I would pop and see you doc to get your back checked out, maybe take some ibuprofen for a few days to ease the pressure and inflammation. Hope you get it sorted soon!


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Without fail demand a MRI unti you get one . Dont get fobbed off with physio or painkillers.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

Thanks for the replies everyone. The obvious and best thing to do is to change the car for something better suited to my needs but funds don't allow for this atm, being only 21 insurance is also still a bit of an issue. Vauxhall just can't seem to get seats right, I had a New Astra as a loaner car a while back and it was definitely better than the Corsa the seats were still way too hard.

At first I just thought it was just part of doing long journeys all the time but it is progressively getting worse and beginning to effect other parts of my life, I play alot of tennis and I find that I just can't serve like I used to only a year ago, I can still hit the same serve but if I do several in a row I get the same lower back pains I get in the car, that never used to happen. I also notice it more when cleaning my alloys.

Aftermarket seats would be nice. The best seats I've sat in have to be the fixed back recaros fitted to the Audi TT sport 240, really supportive but comfortable at the same time, the only thing is in a Corsa recaros would just look so chavvy .

Unfortunately there's nothing that can done about the lack of legroom, luckily it doesn't seem to cause anything worse than pins and needles and swollen knees. My grandmother has a pretty posh back support that she uses when driving in France which I'm going to borrow for a bit to see if it helps, it should at least mould to the shape of my back better, if it doesn't work then it's a trip to the doctors.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

French cars tend to have soft seats, try looking at a Clio 1.2, it might even work out cheaper to run than the corsa. I get what you are saying about funds but I would put my health over funds, I sold the golf at a loss of 8k 

The pole positions in the tt are sought after and fetch good money, you cam get similar and £500 on a decent seat is money well spent, and you can take it with you, and I'd rather make it look chavvy than have a bad back for the rest of your life and you are not exactly old


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## Shinyvec (Feb 12, 2010)

I have had 2 lower back opps and I am still in everyday pain which the edge is taken off with Morphine based Painkillers and I do find my current car seat is fine for me, its a 56 plate Vectra SRI and I find it has all the support in the right areas but thats me.My wife has a 56 plate Corsa D and I hate the seat in that as it instantly causes me problems but the wife thinks its ok. The worst car I had for seats causing back ache was the Mk1 Vectra, The seats in that were awful and I tried all sorts of so called remidies which didnt work and in the end the cure was to sell it and get something else which was a Omega CD, that was lovely and almost like a armchair on wheels


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## Lee.GTi180 (Apr 28, 2010)

I'm in a similar position to you. 22 and a 90 mile commute each day. My Fabia isn't too bad but still I'm really aching at the end of the week. 

I used a 59 plate Octavia last week and it was a breeze, the seat just seemed better. Wasn't a bucket, nothing special, but my god my back loved it.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

I think the seats in the Corsa D are defnitely better suited to smaller people, my sister who's quite a bit smaller than me finds it ok, she does agree on the seats being far too fard. Volvo and Saab seats are pretty well thought of so I may look something like an S40, a C30 or maybe a 9-3. They're also not too bad on insurance.

My grandmother has one of these http://therapeuticainc.com/spinal_back_support.html and she really likes it so I'm going to give it a go.


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## jgy6000 (May 15, 2007)

I get this when driving my dads 2001 Honda Accord. Its got bulky side supports which are good in a racing car but not so in a saloon, driving just 30 minutes and im uncomfortable.

Having owned a fair amount of cars (volvo 440, 2 x 306's, Golf Mk4 Tdi, Leon Cupra R, Ford Focus, BMW 328i) i have never had this problem, only in the Accord!


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## Mike-93 (May 16, 2010)

I used to get very bad back pain where i used to work (lots of lifting heavy stuff off the floor to chest hight or above) and i used to go and sit in my car as the seats are so damn good. I've got a 2003 Saab 9-3. you can pick up a diesel for around 4-5k at the mo. Very comfortable to drive, after long motorway journeys i dont feel tired or anything, no aches or pains.


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

I get back pain at times when my muscles are exhuasted - struggling this week after a physical gives tournament. It's not excruciating or anything and doesn't prevent me doing anything but an uncomfortable feeling.

I think I need to strengthen my back more and work on flexibility of the muscles. Though some days driving 100miles a day is killer.


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

SteveTDCi said:


> simple answer is to sell it, You could fit an aftermarket seat such as a Recaro which would make it more comfortable but that isn't going to solve the space in the footwell, I had a similar problem with my Golf TDi, the leather beeding cut into the back of my legs..


In my experience, Recaros are even worse for causing back pain on long journeys. I used to get back ache when a numb feeling around the bottom of my spine driving 100 miles in a car with Recaros. 'Sports' seats in general seem to be a bit restrictive in terms of adjustability, so really are not a good option.

A cushion is a quick fix to provide better lumbar support.

It's also worth knowing that the cushioning material used in seats directly affects the likelihood of back pain on long journeys. Stiffer seats will allow lower frequency vibrations to be transmitted directly to the base of the spine.


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## details (May 13, 2009)

Used to get this in a ph1 172 cliosport just to uncomfortable after say 45 mins tops seat was solid position was all wrong no room to straighten left leg for foot rest etc. Best bet is to go for a 4dr more room upfront take a look at a 130/150 tdi bora possibly? My caddy tdi is no much better bulkhead restricts seating position.


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## kcass (Aug 24, 2010)

I recently got rid of my astra sxi with sports spec seats for this reason,i put my back out a few months back at work and the astra was'nt helping things.currently on heavy painkillers although a lesser dose than originally started,started back at physio today and hoping to be back to normal duties at work very soon,been a long road but starting to see light at the end of the tunnel now,i'll just need to take it easy and learn to take a back seat at work sometimes.i currently drive a bmw 3 series tourer 53 plate and what a difference in seat comfort and construction,good luck and i would recommend seeing your doc too or look into pilates classes? that's what i'm starting after a recommendation through my physio.


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

pilates is a great way to reduce back complaints... the intra muscular core movements they teach you can make a massive difference; I have done pilates previously used to go twice a week for a year or so then just started doing stuff at home.


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

May I suggest selling the Corsa & getting a Volvo S60:thumb:


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

kings.. said:


> pilates is a great way to reduce back complaints... the intra muscular core movements they teach you can make a massive difference; I have done pilates previously used to go twice a week for a year or so then just started doing stuff at home.


My mother recommended strengthening my core muscles as it would help me sit up better and not be so reliant on the seat.



Chris_Z4 said:


> May I suggest selling the Corsa & getting a Volvo S60:thumb:


I fully intend to be rid of it before too long, besides the back pain, I've had enough of having to floor it to just get any sort of movement :wall:. It's not too bad around town (where it belongs), it's just completely out of its depth once you get on faster roads.


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## sk4tec (Jul 14, 2006)

Have a Google for 'Putnam duo car support'. I've got one for my Leon FR

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

I am plagued with back pain and it has nothing to do with car seats.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

get a volvo....stepped out after a few hundred miles a fit as a daisy no pain what so ever...granted it does take sometime to get your position bob on in it though...

the major one for me is lifting the front of the seat alone i find it supports the back of the thigh and knee very well considering i suffer with sore knees from a few injuries...

the volvos and saabs will be a bit more insurance terms definitely though or were definitely more in insurance terms than the fiat punto 1.9 and mito i was looking at when i was changing in 2010 still the same now tbh.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

I've been plagued with lower back pain most of my adult life. I've been to docs countless times but I don't believe in pain killers so I just grin and bare it. Ive always had mk 3 golfs and with me been 6ft4 it wasn't themost spacious of cars. Now I've recently bought a Peugeot 406 hdi and my back pain has almost gone. I'd change your car if you can. I paid £800 for mine with 87k full service history and its an estate. Keep your eyes peeled.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

get an S8... I drive from Glasgow to London and feel as fresh as a daisy at the end of it... great seats.... 

another shout for a Volvo as well... never driven an uncomfy one of them... SAABs as well...

:thumb:


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

I should be getting another car in the summer which will hopefully help. I drove my Dad's Mercedes on a long journey recently and it was infinitely more comfortable (and a hell of a lot nicer to drive), after over 120 miles I had no back pain at all, unfortunately he'll only let me drive it on temporary cover and then only if I'm doing a journey of 75 miles or more each way .


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

My car seats cripple me literally, lumbar support is no existent.

Cant wait to change car for something a lot more "softer and forgiving" lol.


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## greenwagon (Dec 31, 2008)

Get one of those massage backs that clip onto your seat Heated would be best
I have a permanate bad back and could not survive without heated seats on my cars 

Even in the summer I switch on for the 20 minute drive to work 
At night deep heat spray is ok 
Don't recommend the stick on patches 
Agony pulling them off with hairs stuck on them  

Defently consider getting s bigger car like an old Volvo or Mondeo size car for your commute


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

The only reason I bought all those V70 cars was that I have had a spinal fusion with titanium rods, the rake adjustment and lumbar support were excellent and the cars weight kept it solid on the road, rather than wallow in each corner. 

Once your pain becomes chronic it is not going away and Pm pain management is the only option, as Ross said, cars seat only exacerbate an underlying condition, where driving itself becomes problematic. You could try a Tens machine although they do not work for everyone, 100 miles a day in a small car is unsustainable and see it as an investment in yourself.

I have lived with this for many years and applaud anyone faced with this daily challenge.

John.


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## John757 (Jun 11, 2009)

I'm only 24, so don't really get back pain as such. However, I have a CG-Lock which locks and pulls your hips (gently or strongly, its up to you) in to the seat. This stops you from slouching and make journeys a lot more comfortable. I believe it's advertised for such purposes as backache on the website. Makes corners more fun too  Could be worth looking at? Good for safety too if you have a car crash.

http://www.cg-lock.co.uk/app/medical/ << There you go 

http://www.cg-lock.co.uk/app/medical/reviews/ << and here

I just bought a new car with heated seats also, stick that up to level 5 and it's bliss on my back.

Hope it helps somebody out there.


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

When I had my Astra VXR the seats in that was horendous for comfort on long journeys, terrible lower back pain after even 50-60miles. The seats never even had any kind of lumbar support at all !! 

But after picking up my Insignia ....... oh jesus its just miles better, it has 6 way electronic lumbar support, , 1 lower cusion, 1 middle cushion and 1 top cushion to adjust fully to help with my lower back support. And jesus its works fantastic. I can now set my seats up like I want it and can even drive 100+ miles with no pains in my lower back at all. 

So from now on I will def be making sure the next car I buy has various lumbar adjustments, as I just couldn't live without them now  

Oh and just for the record I am no old age pensioner, I am 28 years old. 

James


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

insanejim69 said:


> When I had my Astra VXR the seats in that was horendous for comfort on long journeys, terrible lower back pain after even 50-60miles. The seats never even had any kind of lumbar support at all !!
> 
> But after picking up my Insignia ....... oh jesus its just miles better, it has 6 way electronic lumbar support, , 1 lower cusion, 1 middle cushion and 1 top cushion to adjust fully to help with my lower back support. And jesus its works fantastic. I can now set my seats up like I want it and can even drive 100+ miles with no pains in my lower back at all.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your review of the seats in the Astra VXR, I was thinking about getting one mainly because of the drive but if the seats are just as rubbish as they are in other Vauxhall's then I won't bother, the seats actually look quite supportive and comfortable in pictures. Vauxhall just can't seem to get seats right, mine have no lumbar support at all and are too narrow, and because the seats are really hard you sit on them rather than in them, I had a new shape astra as a courtesy car a while back and whilst it was an improvement the seats were still too hard.


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## gm8 (Apr 25, 2011)

cruise control would prob help too ? 

I have this in mk old golf mk4 , along with recaros (not overly sporty style tho) very comfortable and adjustable lumbar. 

I find the cruise control helps as you can 'realign' yourself easily when needed


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

I'm sure suspension as well as seat design play an important part, the seats in the cupra are fab and they don't have lumbar support, the 206's ain't bad but the bases are a bit short. Heated seats are great but the best seats I've sat in were the sports seats in a 118d msport great fit you could decrease the width of the sides and the driving position was spot on, there was so much adjustment in the steering reach. Citroens are supposed to be good, in fact I've just been on auto trader looking at ds4's


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

Laurie.J.M said:


> Thanks for your review of the seats in the Astra VXR, I was thinking about getting one mainly because of the drive but if the seats are just as rubbish as they are in other Vauxhall's then I won't bother, the seats actually look quite supportive and comfortable in pictures. Vauxhall just can't seem to get seats right, mine have no lumbar support at all and are too narrow, and because the seats are really hard you sit on them rather than in them, I had a new shape astra as a courtesy car a while back and whilst it was an improvement the seats were still too hard.


If your going for an Astra VXR make sure it has the full leather seats as they have lumbar adjustment and it makes a massive difference. the half leather seats that I had didn't. 

James


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## Stewerty (Jan 11, 2010)

Vauxhall seem to be addressing the seat issue I think. I suffer from problems in my lower spine and my Dad's Vectra C SRi was shocking if I was doing a long drive in it, as mentioned about the Corsa the base is hard and flat and the back is also very hard. He has just bought an Insignia SRi and the seats are fantastic, they provide support in the right places and create much fewer pressure areas.

My A4 S-Line has got great seats (part of the reason I went for the higher spec car) and I have never experienced any major back pain after long journeys but I do agree that the French cars normally have very comfy seats too (shame about the electrical issues in many). If a car was causing me that much pain I would seriously consider sourcing an interior from a more comfort orientated or higher spec model.


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## cptzippy (Apr 4, 2012)

I had this issue with a Subaru Forrester I had back about 8 years ago. Ended up selling it after about 16 months mainly due to the horribly uncomfortable seats. Got a MINI Cooper after and didn't have a lick of problems sitting in it for hours whereas the Scooby I had to break ever 30-45 minutes.


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## glennr (Oct 2, 2011)

Hi all, I am an Instructor of 20 years (it feels like it too). I have a 2011 Vauxhall Corsa. The worst car I have ever had for seat problems. I have tried cushions but it is apparent to me that the whole seat is a mess requiring sorting out. The worst car I have ever had for seating but great for teaching in. (diesel) I have had enough and am now going to look for a new car as this one is killing me. I am even booked in for a procedure where you have a general anaesthetic and they inject Steroids and anti-Inflamatories into the Coccyx region. I am goiing to the Anaesthetic clinic in the next few weeks for a consultation. I may well pull out of the procedure if my back improves with the new car.

VAUXHALL....SORT OUT YOUR SEATS!!!!!!!


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## Derek Mc (Jun 27, 2006)

I feel for anyone with chronic back problems, I am lucky to not have had many issues other than self imposed!

One car that really does do it for me causing discomfort is an manual Audi A4/ A5 as the offset pedals make me twist, that makes my back lock and muscle spasm's commence after about half an hour!
Loathsome situation but one I have been lucky to be able to avoid for the main!


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## pxr5 (Feb 13, 2012)

The only car type that has ever given me a back problem is Vauxhall. I've owned a couple over the years and driven many hire cars that were Vauxhall, and every one caused me issues. May be it's my build, but I doubt I'd risk buying another.


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

I had a Zafira as a hire car which had terrible seats causing all kinds of pain after only 15 or 20 minutes.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

Forgot about this thread. In June last year I swapped the Corsa for a Volvo C30 and I have not had any back pain since :thumb:.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

glennr said:


> Hi all, I am an Instructor of 20 years (it feels like it too). I have a 2011 Vauxhall Corsa. The worst car I have ever had for seat problems. I have tried cushions but it is apparent to me that the whole seat is a mess requiring sorting out. The worst car I have ever had for seating but great for teaching in. (diesel) I have had enough and am now going to look for a new car as this one is killing me. I am even booked in for a procedure where you have a general anaesthetic and they inject Steroids and anti-Inflamatories into the Coccyx region. I am goiing to the Anaesthetic clinic in the next few weeks for a consultation. I may well pull out of the procedure if my back improves with the new car.
> 
> VAUXHALL....SORT OUT YOUR SEATS!!!!!!!


My driving instructor had a Corsa D and he had terrible back problems too. Having had back issues in the same car myself I can only presume that his bad back was also down to the car.


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## glennr (Oct 2, 2011)

From the plethora of postings on here it is clear to me that Vauxhall have a problem. I test drove the Vauxhall Adam and it did feel comfortable but for how long? The seats tend to break down in the Corsa. Yes......I have a large frame. I am off to drive another one(Adam) on Monday...the 1.4 version. The 1.2 accelerated through the low gears but once into 3 it had as much pulling power as I did as a 17 year old. (woeful). I am also off to test drive a Pug 208 the same day.


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## should_do_more (Apr 30, 2008)

My parents got rid of their corsa because of the seats. Horrible things. The corsa that is!


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## johnnyc (Nov 18, 2008)

I had problems with my Clio which had 172 cup seats and they seem to lack lumber support. I changed them to Clio sports seats but that did not help. I ended up selling and buying a fabia. Best choice ever.


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