2400 mile drive ruined my back!

[SZR48207]

Drove to Vegas and back, stopping in Albuquerque to sleep as the halfway point both directions, and ever since then my lower back has just been aching like never before in my life.

Driver seat in the vehicle has lumbar support and I had to stop every 2 hours for bathroom, stretch, and gas so it's not like I was trying to bring this onto myself. Roads were pretty well maintained except for some patchy bits of I40 in NE Arizona, so it was smooth sailing the entire way.

Can't think of anything else I've done that could have jacked with the muscles.

Anyone had similar problems from long driving?

 

[Quattro Pete]

What vehicle?

 

[SZR48207]

What vehicle?

Tacoma double cab. No Cadillac for sure, but decently long wheel base and supportive seats. Ride was not jarring.

 

[oldhp]

I find if I drive long periods I move my seat back more straight up a little. I don't know why but it helps.

 

[Nick1994]

Sitting in the same position for so long can really tighten up your back muscles. I have a bad back and often have to lean forward and stretch while driving to loosen up. The worst for me is my tailbone though if the car doesn’t have soft seats.

Here’s a link that shows how to adjust a seat. However, I don’t follow this because I like it scooted back and a little tilted. But I'll try this on my next road trip.

How to Avoid Back Pain in a Car | YourMechanic Advice

If you have back problems, sitting in a car for an extended period of time can be excruciating. Even without back problems, you could experience discomfort and soreness from sitting in a car’s seat for a long drive. Sometimes, if...

www.yourmechanic.com

 

[skyactiv]

Read post number 21. https://www.carproblemzoo.com/toyota/tacoma/seats-problems.php

 

[JHZR2]

Ive found that driving too long can do it. Sometimes it’s the weight of your arms even. I tend to get a pinched muscle under my shoulder blade.

I like a rolled towel or a little pillow at varying locations against my back, to get support in the right spots.

 

[CKN]

Tacoma double cab. No Cadillac for sure, but decently long wheel base and supportive seats. Ride was not jarring.

Go and test drive any other truck in this segment and then come back and tell us the Tacoma's ride is not jarring. BTW-the 4Runner's seats are like bricks to sit on too. The Tacoma is a great vehicle. But a highway cruiser it isn't. Sorry.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Depends on the seat definitely for me. Some cars I can’t last more than a couple hours before pain starts others I can drive all day. Usually low end Hyundai’s seem to irritate my lower back. The Kia Soul gave me problems quickly as well.

 

[daves87rs]

Ive found that driving too long can do it. Sometimes it’s the weight of your arms even. I tend to get a pinched muscle under my shoulder blade.

I like a rolled towel or a little pillow at varying locations against my back, to get support in the right spots.

Works well here doing that....

 

[AutoMechanic]

Never had that happen.

 

[The Critic]

Go and test drive any other truck in this segment and then come back and tell us the Tacoma's ride is not jarring. BTW-the 4Runner's seats are like bricks to sit on too. The Tacoma is a great vehicle. But a highway cruiser it isn't. Sorry.

I joke that the driving dynamics of a Tacoma are equivalent to a 90's era U-Haul. I'm sure I'll get some heat for this comment, but the Tacoma's seats and driving experience feel like a U-Haul compared to my Ram.

 

[aquariuscsm]

To me,I've just noticed that trucks are just so uncomfortable to drive. It feels like I'm sitting up high with my feet dangling. I can never seem to get the seat in a comfortable position. Cars on the other hand feel more close to the floor and laid back. And it feels that way to me in every truck I've driven.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Aren’t the Tacoma seats pretty low to the floor? Having the low seating position with your knees elevated combined with a not-so-smooth ride can irritate the lower back.

 

[Kira]

The doctors all say sitting strains the back. Perhaps there's something to that?

The OP stopping every 2 hours is what I've ALWAYS heard to do. Walk around, move your blood, change the focusing distance of your eyes etc.

That the OP did stop every 2 hours and still got a heap of pain, means his muscles are weak and soft.

Do yoga. It'll help immeasurably. Yoga is stretching and exercise. The word "yoga" makes many think I advocate eating bugs and adhere to a perverse paganism. That's just stupid. Yoga is just exercise.
When you do it you'll see it's challenging. Just like anything else, results of any worth require effort. Don't live with a bad back. NOTHING hurts like back pain.

 

[AZjeff]

To me,I've just noticed that trucks are just so uncomfortable to drive. It feels like I'm sitting up high with my feet dangling. I can never seem to get the seat in a comfortable position. Cars on the other hand feel more close to the floor and laid back. And it feels that way to me in every truck I've driven.

You should like a Tacoma then because that's the driving position, sitting on the floor like a car. Very uncomfortable for me and the main reason I'll never own a Tacoma or 4Runner or classic sedan.

 

[Tahoe4Life]

Had a lot of back issues in my Ford Panthers driving from Miami-NYC. No back issues in my Tahoe or Suburban. Excellent back support in those vehicles.

 

[dlundblad]

Drove to Vegas and back, stopping in Albuquerque to sleep as the halfway point both directions, and ever since then my lower back has just been aching like never before in my life.

Driver seat in the vehicle has lumbar support and I had to stop every 2 hours for bathroom, stretch, and gas so it's not like I was trying to bring this onto myself. Roads were pretty well maintained except for some patchy bits of I40 in NE Arizona, so it was smooth sailing the entire way.

Can't think of anything else I've done that could have jacked with the muscles.

Anyone had similar problems from long driving?

If I drove 2400 miles in a Toyota 2000, my back would be hurting too!

 

[The Critic]

You should like a Tacoma then because that's the driving position, sitting on the floor like a car. Very uncomfortable for me and the main reason I'll never own a Tacoma or 4Runner or classic sedan.

My issue with the Tacoma seating position is that the driver seat is low, but the steering wheel and dash feel abnormally high. It almost feels like you are reaching up for the steering wheel.

 

[Aredeeem]

The years I was driving commuter busses in and out of Manhattan I would keep the back rest ramrod straight with no backward tilt. It looked uncomfortable to most but to me it seemed to offer the most comfortable position with no back strain. Of course these were professional seats with inflatable lumbar supports and side bolsters. The thinking was if there was a gap anywhere your back was straining itself to fill it. The brand name was Recaro. 2400 miles in a seat not designed for you can be torturous.