This commute is killing me.
January 23, 2020 6:11 PM Subscribe
As of very recently, I have a longer commute - one hour each direction. It is giving me sciatica and I have barely been taking the new route yet. What are some strategies to reduce pain from spending a long time in your vehicle?
I have an old injury that is aggravated by long periods sitting down. Regular exercise helps but the commute is stealing my gym time right now. The commute is likely temporary but until I can change it, this is going to become intractible soon. Please hope me.
I have an old injury that is aggravated by long periods sitting down. Regular exercise helps but the commute is stealing my gym time right now. The commute is likely temporary but until I can change it, this is going to become intractible soon. Please hope me.
Take your wallet out of your back pocket. I get sciatica if I leave it on long drives
posted by dripdripdrop at 6:29 PM on January 23, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by dripdripdrop at 6:29 PM on January 23, 2020 [7 favorites]
Get yourself one of these. Saves my back.
posted by pyro979 at 6:31 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by pyro979 at 6:31 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
Is there any chance that you could take public transportation, so you could move around more?
posted by pinochiette at 6:38 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 6:38 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
If your car has a seat heater, turn that on to encourage blood flow to your back. Don't wear anything that constricts your waist or ankles for blood flow. Drive without shoes. Do side leg lifts to strengthen muscles. Tilt your seat forward to encourage blood flow. All of these things have made my sciatica GO AWAY, but I have to keep doing them or it rears its ugly head again. I hope some of these are helpful for you. Cheers.
posted by effluvia at 6:49 PM on January 23, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by effluvia at 6:49 PM on January 23, 2020 [4 favorites]
What about a massage car seat pad? Most seem to have vibration in the bum with rotating units in the back section, along with heat.
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:53 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:53 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]
Honestly, pilates. You need to improve your core to be able to handle sitting for long periods. Everything else is a bandaid.
posted by Jubey at 1:08 AM on January 24, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Jubey at 1:08 AM on January 24, 2020 [2 favorites]
A regular massage can help work cricks out
Change the seat position often, a bit closer, a bit further, a bit laid back, every few days.
Try and relax while driving. Have a lighter grip, listen to something non-aggravating.
posted by nickggully at 6:56 AM on January 24, 2020
Change the seat position often, a bit closer, a bit further, a bit laid back, every few days.
Try and relax while driving. Have a lighter grip, listen to something non-aggravating.
posted by nickggully at 6:56 AM on January 24, 2020
What about a massage car seat pad?
I’d be careful about this. My husband’s got a couple of herniated disks, and when he had an hour or so commute thought a massage pad would help. We learned later it was probably making the back problem worse.
posted by leahwrenn at 8:17 AM on January 24, 2020
I’d be careful about this. My husband’s got a couple of herniated disks, and when he had an hour or so commute thought a massage pad would help. We learned later it was probably making the back problem worse.
posted by leahwrenn at 8:17 AM on January 24, 2020
listen to something non-aggravating
+1
Don't listen to anything that grinds your gears. It's cumulative. - HourCommuterGuy
posted by j_curiouser at 8:20 AM on January 24, 2020
+1
Don't listen to anything that grinds your gears. It's cumulative. - HourCommuterGuy
posted by j_curiouser at 8:20 AM on January 24, 2020
Visit a physical therapist to get exercises you can do. Exercise and stretching are most likely to provide long-term help.
posted by theora55 at 8:25 AM on January 24, 2020
posted by theora55 at 8:25 AM on January 24, 2020
Car seat positioning matters. It took me ages of trial and error to figure mine out, but you might start from this super-detailed PDF to determine a starting position and then tweak from there.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:26 AM on January 24, 2020
posted by Lyn Never at 8:26 AM on January 24, 2020
As you can see, dozens of different approaches, options, suggestions. And you know this already I'm sure but as a veteran of chronic sciatica/lumbar issues, I'll share the following. Purely subjective, but, well...
End of my story first: After several years of different attempts I resorted to surgery which finally permanently alleviated my condition.
BUT:
Before that, I tried weekly acupuncture, core work at the gym, seemingly endless visits to the physical therapists (which would aggravate rather than help my condition), months of massage, different meds for muscle relaxing and pain relief (made me constipated and did nothing re a 'cure), special seating, exercise balls, rubber stretching things, meditation, prayer, and several deep cortisone shots (ugh)...etc.
Naturally, all of this was to avoid surgery. But then I succumbed.
I spent a month interviewing neurosurgeons, found a good one (young and the most knowledgeable about modern techniques), had the MRI, did the surgery and the re-coop and finally had my life back. The only regret is that I hadn't considered surgery sooner.
Again, just another view to add to the above. And I'm hoping your situation will be remedied by one or more of the less invasive ideas in this thread.
Good luck to you.
posted by zenpop at 10:19 AM on January 24, 2020
End of my story first: After several years of different attempts I resorted to surgery which finally permanently alleviated my condition.
BUT:
Before that, I tried weekly acupuncture, core work at the gym, seemingly endless visits to the physical therapists (which would aggravate rather than help my condition), months of massage, different meds for muscle relaxing and pain relief (made me constipated and did nothing re a 'cure), special seating, exercise balls, rubber stretching things, meditation, prayer, and several deep cortisone shots (ugh)...etc.
Naturally, all of this was to avoid surgery. But then I succumbed.
I spent a month interviewing neurosurgeons, found a good one (young and the most knowledgeable about modern techniques), had the MRI, did the surgery and the re-coop and finally had my life back. The only regret is that I hadn't considered surgery sooner.
Again, just another view to add to the above. And I'm hoping your situation will be remedied by one or more of the less invasive ideas in this thread.
Good luck to you.
posted by zenpop at 10:19 AM on January 24, 2020
Jubey has it: "You need to improve your core".
I found a series of exercises and tai chi three times a week was essential for me to handle my nearly-an-hour commute. Unless you strengthen your core, you're screwed.
posted by anadem at 8:39 PM on January 24, 2020
I found a series of exercises and tai chi three times a week was essential for me to handle my nearly-an-hour commute. Unless you strengthen your core, you're screwed.
posted by anadem at 8:39 PM on January 24, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by acidnova at 6:16 PM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]