Doing distances by car seems to be adding to our health woes. We carry work pressure on our drive to work and on the way home. A number of people sit for more than an hour in traffic, often using the clutch that puts a strain on joints and muscles, and an even larger number inhale the polluted air that envelops our cities. Here are a few precautions to make our drives as healthy and stress-free as possible.
Sit, the right way
An incorrect driving posture has repercussions beyond an ache here, and soreness there; it ups the risk for accidents. The British Osteopathic Association, in a study, found that 13% of drivers sat too far back in the seat for their seatbelt to be effective in a head-on collision; 14% sat too close to the steering wheel, which meant a chest injury when an airbag got deployed; 15% did not adjust their headrest to the optimal level.
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Mahesh Rajoria, Senior Advisor, Driving Training, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, says, “The right posture allows easy access to all the vehicle controls, a good view of the panel display and of the road around the vehicle. When your hands are on the steering wheel at a 9 o’clock-3 o’clock position, elbows should be slightly bent, and your shoulders should not be pushed up or hunched over,” he says. This will make sure you’re not too close to the steering wheel.
Another way of ensuring this is to push down completely on the clutch — your knee should still be slightly bent when you do this. “This enables the leg to act as a shock absorber, putting less strain on the knee. Also ensure that the hips are slightly higher than the knees when in seated position. This enables the seat to support the curvature of our spine,” says Dr Amandeep Singh, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Apollo Clinic, Delhi.
“The head rest is not a resting place for your head, but is a head movement restraint in the event of a collision with your car from the rear,” says Rajoria. Adjust it so the top of the restraint is aligned with the top of your head. Similarly, your seat belt should run across the pelvis, not across the stomach.
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Move, even in traffic
“Our body is designed to move, but in a car, our movement is restricted. If you’re driving long distances, pull over every couple of hours, take a short walk. This is not only good for circulation, but also keeps you alert. Rotate legs, hands, wrists, shoulders. If the drive is over 30 minutes, do the wrist, hand and ankle rotations in your seat,” says Dr Singh. So no, don’t try and do a straight six-hour drive to make good time.
For those who are plagued with neck and back problems, Dr Singh says that the moment you align the steering wheel correctly and get seating positions right, niggling problems will sort themselves out. If they’ve been building up over the years, see a doctor, who may prescribe a special orthopaedic pillow.
Eat, but snack wisely
It’s only natural to pick the easiest and least messy foods while on the move. So biscuits and chips are often the go-to options. These are often salt-heavy, sugar-laden and transfat-bearing, which, in the long term, leads to lifestyle diseases. Instead, plan ahead.
What could be done to stay healthy when you feel a bit hungry in your car? “Do carry water in a glass with a straw, so it’s easy to drink along the way. When the sun beats in, we often mistake thirst for hunger and resort to an unhealthy snack. Buttermilk, lemon water, aam panna and wood apple (bael) juice are all good at this time of the year. If you see a tender coconut-water seller along the way, do stop and rehydrate,” says Prerna Arora, Senior Dietician and Nutritionist, Konsult App, Delhi. Popping in a few nuts is as easy as digging into chips, so opt for healthy snacks. Before you leave, eat a banana, so you’re not rushing home to grab the closest available food on the counter.