Back pain – what car is best?

Previously, Brighton chiropractor Matthew Bennett, looked at what causes back pain in cars. As we saw, correct adjustment of your car seat will help. Seats are partly to blame but that is not the whole story. Poorly positioned pedals and steering wheels can make a bad problem worse.

So what is the ideal car for back sufferers?

Rule out small hatchbacks and super-minis. Their short wheelbase and often poor ride may well aggravate a bad back. Also rule out low slung sports cars with firm suspension even though sports seats can be very good. The ideal car must have all the usual car attributes of being reliable, economical and reasonably priced of course and for our purposes a high driving position is preferable.

So what car does all this? The Skoda Yeti. The Yeti wins our Sundial award for the best car to prevent back pain. The Yeti is slightly higher off the ground than a normal hatchback. It has a reasonable wheelbase and is available with 16 inch and 17 inch wheels. Avoid the 18 inch wheels though as there is not enough rubber to cushion the ride. It has large doors and is spacious inside. In fact it feels larger on the inside than it looks on the outside.

If it had been called the Skoda Tardis few would have complained. Following on with the Dr Who theme there was a monster called the Yeti in the 1968 version of the show. That Yeti lived in the London Underground. Now we have Boris.

The Yeti It also won the Auto Express Driver Power 2012 award for the best car as voted by 29,000 owners.

Taking the time and trouble to buy the right car in the first place may well prevent miles of driving misery. If in spite of setting the car seat up well you are still getting back pain then give us call so we can book you in for free check-up. We will see if you have an underlying issue with your back joints or muscles which can easily be sorted out.

Top tips to avoid back pain in the car

– Buy a bigger, high riding car.
– Adjust seat and steering wheel position to your frame.
– Avoid large wheels over 17 inches.
– Avoid firm suspension.
– Choose a car with seats with good side support and lumbar support.
– If you don’t have a lumbar support stick a rolled up towel or jumper in the small of your back.
– Avoid potholes (hard on British roads)
– On a long journey, take a break every hour, walk about and stretch.