Pro Racer Teaches Us About Pain-Free Long Distance Driving

Let’s face it: human beings weren’t made to sit in a chair and dealing with strenuous conditions for hours on end. It’s just not a healthy way to spend your time, which is why our bodies often break down.

Still, if you really must get out on the road for a long distance journey, racing driver, motoring journalist and TV presenter Rebecca Jackson has a few tips on how you could stay fit and pain-free, minimizing the damage that you’re doing to your body.

“Multiple hours sat at the wheel can cause a lot of stress to your body. Without regular stops to stretch your legs, drivers are likely to experience pain and stiffness in their necks, shoulders and back – as well as eye strain which can lead to a headache and swelling in the lower legs,” says Jackson.

Her favorite exercises that stop her from stiffening up at the wheel include ankle rolls, leg stretches, calf stretches, waist twists, back arches, shoulder rolls, neck rolls – even eye rolls.

The ankle, leg and calf exercises are meant to boost circulation and eliminate stiffness. They’re all pretty straight forward to do, and you can even use your car for support; you can lean on the door for the ankle rolls, stretch your foot using the front bumper, or your calf by placing your toes on one of the tires.

As for the waist twists, shoulder and neck rolls, they’re also quite easy. Just think back to how you used to do those things during gym class when you where in school.

The back arches however are a bit more difficult, as you need to be more careful. Jackson recommends you start by standing two or three feet away from the car, with your back turned to it. Then, lift both arms above your head and bend backwards towards the car until you feel the stretch in both your back as well as your shoulders. You’re supposed to hold this pose for 8 seconds and then release.

Even though endurance racing is much more demanding than your average vacation road trip, the stress on your back or limbs can be just as bad, especially since you’re not a well-trained pro. Stretching is an excellent way of overcoming driving aches, which, if left unchecked, can easily lead into serious issues.