My back is pretty much stuffed at present and although I don't believe the seats in the Legacy are to blame, does anyone have experience of lumbar support cushions for the car that have helped you?
Thanks
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I stuffed my back about 10 years ago, could not walk for days, when I eventually mangaed to lower myself into the car it was heaven, I was comfortable for the first time in ages, the seat held my back in the ideal position. It was a company car, a '96 Vectra SRi, it had neat twin lumbar adjusters later dropped on the '98 model I had afterwards.
The point being are you more comfortable in the car than out, if the latter the car seat is not right for you or is set wrongly.
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Bad luck Nsar.
My doc advised me to make the seat base as near horizontal as possible. This I did by going to my local market where the foam seller cut a wedge piece of foam for a few pounds.
He also advised rolling up a towel and placing that in the small of the back to maintain the lordosis.
These measures worked a treat.
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I keep a cushion at the small of my back. The lumbar support on the seats isn't really enough if you have a bad back.
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He also advised rolling up a towel and placing that in the small of the back
I have to do that sometimes in my Merc - what a ridiculous admission it is that they offer 'Comfort Seats' as an extra cost option.
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May I suggest that you consider treating the problem, rather than adjusting your life to live with it? A trip to an osteopath or chiropractor might cost a bit but it might do you loads of good! I hurt my lower back in a flying accident many years ago and I treat it very carefully! I have visited oste + chiro people in connection with knee problems and have found them to be useful but pricey.
The modern thinking on bad backs is force yourself to get around and keep moving; the old idea of 2 week's bed rest has gone out of the window - if you don't use it will never get better and might get worse. I sympathise, it is very painful and I wish you a good result, short term and long term!
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All true, but the poor design of many modern car seats can impair recovery, esepcially if a lot of time is spent driving in the average day.
It's a shame that car designers often opt for seats that feel comfortable for slouching over seats that are actually good for your back. SAAB and Volvo two notable exceptions.
Mrs Oilburner is very fussy about seats when we're picking cars for either of us, so there's a least 5-6 manfacturers we won't even touch because their seats are so abysmally bad, some even preventing correct posture behind the wheel. Adjustable lumbar support doesn't always help either. There's some pretty good seats with very little adjustment. However, there's some very bad seats with masses of adjustment, all of it useless!
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AS - I am having physio, but giving up driving is not an option so I am simply trying to make it a more pleasant experience.
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Nsar,
I was a slave to intermittent back pain for about 30 odd years - to the extent that sometimes it was almost as if I was paralysed - coudn't walk, had to roll out of bed and crawl downstairs etc. Spent a fortune on physio and chiros, usually gave me relief for a few months then back it came. It's a muscular problem, by the way, not slipped disc.
For the last 2 years I have been completely pain free after
1. Acupuncture - my physio had just completed a course and wanted to "experiment" on me! Despite my fear of needles I said to try it and after a while asked when she was going to stick the first needle in - she replied that she was on the 14th!
2. A few months later I was "conned" into buying a magnetic bracelet (I know - snake oil and all that) but at the cost of only 2 visits to the physio I thought it worth a try. Here is the website - it maty be purely psychological but who cares?
I have no connection whatsoever with the company etc except that I wear one of their products. (an "Executive") Might be worth a try??
--
Phil
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Slight thread creep, sorry. I know there is a lot of rubbish out there, magnets that you tie wrap to your fuel line etc. However they seem to work in that Artritic animals (dogs and horses) seem to benefit from the application of magnetised bandages. The animals have no expectation of a cure but the devices do seem to work.
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Sorry - forgot the link
www.ecomagnets.com/bioflow-wristbands.htm
Also forgot motoring link but at times I couldn't sit in the car and the thought of pressing the clutch - no chance
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Phil
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I have had a horrendous time with my back recently. My first doctor said pain killers and keep moving (bad move as it happens). The second doctor referred me to a physio, who I gave up with after 5 weeks of getting worse and worse, the physio was trying to treat a slipped disk. I then went to an excellent (but eccentric!) chiropractor who took time to check my symptoms and history, after an thorough examination where every part of my neck, back and pelvis were looked at he said that it was NOT a slipped disk. As I obviously was showing distrust of the medical profession he demonstrated the problem by temporarily fixing it, instant no pain and full movement for a few seconds. He then had me walking/sleeping/sitting comfortably within a week.
I.E. try a good chiro.
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Or buy a Volvo!
You must be joking I had a v40 the most uncomfortable porly ergonomicaly designed driving position. After driving this thing I was creased up.The physyo I was being treated by took one look at it and said she was not supprised my back was giving me so much pain.My wife refused to drive it for the same reason and when it was replaced by my company it was good ridence.
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rustbucket (the original)
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I should have said buy a big Volvo! I used to like Saab seats but they don't seem quite as good on current models. I had a 9000CS - the best seats ever!!!
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It was a company car, a '96 Vectra SRi, it had neat twin lumbar adjusters later dropped on the '98 model I had afterwards.
IIRC, my X reg (yr2000) Vectra CD still had the twin lumbar adjusters.
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Google McKenzie Exercises
Just an idea.
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>> It was a company car, a '96 Vectra SRi, it had neat twin lumbar adjusters later dropped on the '98 model I had afterwards. IIRC, my X reg (yr2000) Vectra CD still had the twin lumbar adjusters.
I had an early '96 2.0 SRi, very well equipped, great engine followed by a mid '98 (98 1/2) 2.5 V6 SRi estate, not quite so well equipped (no std sunroof, not carpeted door bins etc), although pre facelift one of the first with 16" wheels and revised suspension (extra front link introduced on SRi when the GSi was launched and on all model as of the facelift) that sharpened it up a lot. Perhaps the twin lumbar was deleted from the SRI along with sunroof etc though continued on CD / CDX?
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Bought a lumbar cushion today - deep joy. Thanks for all your supportive (no pun) comments. Back pain is the original PITA.
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Go to WH Smith (there are other bookshops) and buy "Treat your own back" for about £11. - The MacKenzie book.
The exercises allow me to manage the lower back pain I have had intermittently for 20 years to such an extent that it no longer limits what I can do.
Also seem to be working on what the physio belives to be a herniated disc (pain down the left leg). The Honda drivers seat is good too.
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My friend had a new shape BMW 3 series convertable and it caused him terrible back pain. The reason being because the pedals were offset.
My business includes the supply of office chairs and we find that it's not the position/settings of the chair that causes the problem but other factors like a lack of footstool or incorrect screen height. What I'm saying is before you start buying external equipment try moving the steering wheel or look where your feet are in relation to the rest of you body & see if there might be a problem.
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Seven years ago got a thing called a Backfriend which sits on top of the seat and it has been the best accessory I ever bought. Does wonders for the aching back. Think they're made by a company in Southport? Fairly expensive, I recall, at around £50 but worth every penny for this skeletal structure!
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"Go to WH Smith (there are other bookshops) and buy "Treat your own back" for about £11. - The MacKenzie book." - Cheaper using Amazon, even better buy the Mckenzie 7steps to a pain free life
, this has the contents of "treat your own back" and "treat your own neck" but its cheaper. (currently £7.75). You should also consider the "Back Sufferer's Bible" by Sarah Key.
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About 10 years ago I drove a Transit from Glasgow to Swindon with one v brief fuelling stop at Hilton Park. Next day absolute agony. No disrepsect to Transit seats which I believe are designed for long hours of driving. Some days later I went to a chiropractor still virtually immobile. He advised that I never drive for more than 2 hours without getting out and stretching my spine, even for a couple of minutes.
It's worked for me.
Papho
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