Cramp When Driving?

Question

Hello. as quite a young bloke (20) im abit worried as i keep getting cramp when driving to and from work, the driving is usally less than 40 mins and around liverpool 1's "Big Dig", wich means its a real nightmare for traffic lol.

anyhu..i keep getting cramp within five or ten mins or getting into my car. as its a VW Golf Gti, it comes with ajustable everyhthing...my seating position is around 2/3 of the way back from the steering wheel, with the wheel ajusted to maximum hight and the seat ajusted to maxium hight. also with the backrest resonably far back and the back ajuster half way up the seat poking out a little. i seem to be sitting very conforably but it just keeps happening..

is there anything im doing wrong or could do to help with this?getting out the car isnt really an option in rush hour traffic.

is there any reason to be concirned because im a diabetic , type 1? (14 years), should i see a doctor or change my diet or somthing?

any help would be great :)

Answer 1

I thought I was having an ideal driving position in my car with adjustable everything. But it somehow didn't feel right. I had my brother to try to sit in and asked him adjust everything for himself. He's much more experienced driver and he's only like 5 cm taller - he's got rather long neck :-)

Anyway, I was amazed how much my comfort improved with his set-up. I only needed to do minor adjustments to rearview mirrors.

I suggested the same method to a friend of mine, a novice driver, she asked her cousin (again, much more experienced driver), of the similar built to adjust all the stuff. And she was equally impressed how much more comfortable and relaxed she felt when driving after that.

Try asking someone with more experience, colleague, relative, to do the same for you. It may help.

Based on what you said the problem may be in having the seat and steering wheel too high. The seat affects the angle at which your feet touch the pedals and position of the steering wheel makes your arms hang uncomfortably high.

Answer 2

One of the biggest insults to your system from prolonged sitting is the buildup of pressure in the blood vessels in your lower legs. Contracting and relaxing the muscles helps the blood flow properly.

Adjust the seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as comfortably possible. Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. Place four fingers behind the back of your thigh closest to your knee. If you cannot easily slide your fingers in and out of that space, you need to re-adjust your seat.

Consider a back support. Using a support behind your back may reduce the risk of low-back strain, pain or injury. The widest part of the support should be between the bottom of your rib cage and your waistline.

Exercise your legs while driving to reduce the risk of any swelling, fatigue or discomfort. Open your toes as wide as you can, and count to 10. Count to five while you tighten your calf muscles, then your thigh muscles, then your gluteal muscles. Roll your shoulders forward and back, making sure to keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road.

To minimize arm and hand tension while driving, hold the steering wheel at approximately 3 o'clock and 7 o'clock, periodically switching to 10 o'clock and 5 o'clock.

Do not grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and loosen your grip to improve hand circulation and decrease muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists and hands.

While always being careful to keep your eyes on the road, vary your focal point while driving to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and tension headaches.

Take rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential consequences of fatigue to yourself, your passengers and other drivers.

Answer 3

why not try to adjust your seat position to a comfortable position.

sitting in the same position for 30 or more minutes can be exhausting for anyone

Answer 4

I think it's worth seeing your doctor.

A few ideas for you: Cramp is often linked to the amount of salt you consume, and also whether you are dehydrated or not (also affects the level of salts in your blood). Since it happens in your car when seated, this also suggests it's linked to your circulation system. I don't know much about diabetes, but I used to get a lot of cramp, which finally resolved when I got a good pair (expensive made to measure) of orthotic insoles. This relieved the pressure on my legs and back and seemed to make me less vulnerable to cramps. As a diabetic, it's extra important that you look after your feet, so you may be able to get these on the NHS if your doc thinks they are appropriate. Additionally, how's your back?  it could be worth getting checked out by an osteopath or chiropractor, since the all nerves are routed via the spinal cord at some point, and a niggle here, can irritate muscles elsewhere, sometimes causing cramp.