Postural Alignment for the Commuter

It doesn't take an expert in kinesiology to figure out that doing lots of commuting by car can cause your spine to look like a question mark after many years. Driving for extended periods of time can lead to poor posture and muscular imbalances. Imbalances lead to joint weakness and potential injury, which result in missed days at work and less bacon to bring home.

Weekday working warriors most often exhibit forward head syndrome and increased kyphosis of the thoracic spine, among other symptoms. What is kyphosis? Ever seen the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Quasimodo, although much more pronounced, had the same symptoms that drivers are at risk of having: Abnormal rearward curvature of the spine, resulting in a protuberance of the upper back; a hunchback.

When seated with poor posture for long periods of time, the pectoral [chest], sternocleidomastoid [neck muscle that rotates and flexes the head] and scalene [extending from the back of the neck to the first and second ribs] muscles are short and tight. Spinal erectors, those vertical muscles along the spine, become long and weak and overcompensate by trying to pull the muscles back.

The most important thing a commuter can do is maintain proper seating alignment. Your seat rest should be all the way up so that the hip and knee joints are at a 90-degree angle. Alternate between this angle and, if and when you feel your back muscles fatigue, recline back to a 130-degree angle. Your knees shouldn't be too far forward. Try to keep them right above your ankles to establish proper blood circulation. If your knees are too far forward, knee and ankle joint problems could develop, as well as sciatica, a condition where the sciatic nerve, which runs down from the hips through the legs, is improperly innervated.

If you're seated with 90-degree posture at the knee and hip joints, a lumbar support isn't necessary. If you prefer to use one, however, make sure the apex of the support rests in alignment with your belly button.

Even if you think having a six-pack stomach is overrated, it's still a good idea to strengthen your abdominals. Abdominal muscles are a part of every move that you make. The problem is, when you're driving, you're not moving much, and the abs are shut off. Abdominals are the core of your strength and power. They are essential for good posture, supporting the back and preventing lower back problems.

Practice activating your deep abdominal muscles, which stabilize the spine during movement. Inhale and inflate your belly. As you exhale, pull your belly button in deep towards your spine and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this 10-20 times a few times a day.

Buy an exercise ball, and keep it in your car. Take it to work with you. Take breaks every now and then to rest your back on the ball. After a long drive, pull into a safe parking lot or bring your ball into hotel room and roll out on it. Perform abdominal crunches with your tailbone supported on the ball to strengthen your midsection.

If you notice that your head sticks out in front of your shoulders, practice putting a finger on your chin and pushing it in until your ears rest over the shoulders. This technique alleviates chronic tension in the upper back area.