Driver
Navigating bad weather without straining your back
Nicola Tik
Driving in rain, snow, ice or fog asks more of you than a clear day does. Without realising it, many people tense up in tricky conditions, gripping the wheel harder and hunching towards the windscreen. Holding that tension for a whole journey is often what leaves your back and shoulders aching by the end of it.
When the road feels demanding, it is natural to brace. The trouble is that a tight grip and raised shoulders keep your muscles working long after the difficult stretch has passed.
Every so often, you could check in with yourself. Are your shoulders creeping up towards your ears? Is your grip tighter than it needs to be? Easing your shoulders down and softening your hold, while still staying in full control, lets those muscles settle rather than staying switched on for the whole drive.
Leaning forward to see through rain or fog pulls you away from the support of your seat, and your back ends up doing the work of holding you upright.
Where it is safe, you could try staying back against the seat and letting it take your weight, rather than perching towards the windscreen. Keeping your back supported means your muscles are not straining to hold a forward-leaning position for long periods.
Bad weather often means scraping ice or brushing snow off before you set off, and this is a common moment for back strain. Reaching across a windscreen or stretching over the roof puts your back in an awkward position while you push and scrape.
You could try moving around the vehicle so you are working close to each panel, rather than reaching right across it. Letting your legs bend and stepping in close, rather than leaning over from your waist, keeps the effort out of your lower back.
Wet or icy surfaces change how you move without you always noticing. Getting in and out of the vehicle, or carrying anything across a slippery yard, tends to make you tense and move stiffly, which adds to the load on your back.
Taking smaller, steadier steps and keeping any load close to your body helps you stay balanced. When getting out, you could swing both feet round to face the door and stand once you have a stable footing, rather than twisting as you rise.
After a demanding journey, a gentle stretch helps release the tension that builds up. Standing tall, you could roll your shoulders slowly backwards a few times, then rest your hands on your lower back and ease into a small backward lean, only as far as feels comfortable.
If you would like to follow a guided version, VIDA has a short stretch video you can do at your own pace once you have parked up.