Back pain driving Boxster

[Mike_Yi]

I've had mild back pain on and off for years. It's never been a big deal, though painful. Usually, I'd strain my back or wake up sore. It would be sore for a few days, then go away. If I did back strengthening exercises, it would never bother me.

Then I bought my Boxster. During test drives it seemed perfectly comfortable. However, once I brought it home and started driving it more I've noticed that if I drive it more than about 15 minutes, I get pain in my lower back on the left side. I thought it was because I was slouching so I'd fit better (I'm 6'4"). So I put in a Recaro SPG XL seat. Now I can sit as straight up as I possibly can and still have a bit of room. The Recaro seat is much better than the stock seat. I can find positions that do not cause pain, but not always. I just had about a month off from work during which I never drove the Boxster more than 5 minutes at a time. It was great. My back didn't bother me the entire time. The last two weeks I've been working. That first day back I drove to work (30 minutes) and was sore for the rest of the day. Being a pilot, I sit all day at work and those seats don't bother me at all.

I can't figure out what causes it. I have noticed that the pedals in the Boxster are very far over to the right. It feels odd to me. It's like I have to bend my knees to the right from their natural position. I'm thinking that perhaps that makes me sit twisted slightly in the seat. I also thought that perhaps it was because the seat is so close to the floor that my legs are almost parallel to the floor. This makes the angle between my upper-legs and torso more accute than say in an airplane or my wife's truck. However, last week I sat in my Pontiac Firehawk which has almost the exact same seating position and it was very comfortable even after 20 minutes.

I'm wondering if anybody else have found that their Boxster causes back pain. If so, have you found a solution? Yesterday I finally told my wife that I think I might have to sell the car if I cannot find a solution.

[yimmy149]

Originally Posted by Mike_Yi

I've had mild back pain on and off for years. It's never been a big deal, though painful. Usually, I'd strain my back or wake up sore. It would be sore for a few days, then go away. If I did back strengthening exercises, it would never bother me.

Then I bought my Boxster. During test drives it seemed perfectly comfortable. However, once I brought it home and started driving it more I've noticed that if I drive it more than about 15 minutes, I get pain in my lower back on the left side. I thought it was because I was slouching so I'd fit better (I'm 6'4"). So I put in a Recaro SPG XL seat. Now I can sit as straight up as I possibly can and still have a bit of room. The Recaro seat is much better than the stock seat. I can find positions that do not cause pain, but not always. I just had about a month off from work during which I never drove the Boxster more than 5 minutes at a time. It was great. My back didn't bother me the entire time. The last two weeks I've been working. That first day back I drove to work (30 minutes) and was sore for the rest of the day. Being a pilot, I sit all day at work and those seats don't bother me at all.

I can't figure out what causes it. I have noticed that the pedals in the Boxster are very far over to the right. It feels odd to me. It's like I have to bend my knees to the right from their natural position. I'm thinking that perhaps that makes me sit twisted slightly in the seat. I also thought that perhaps it was because the seat is so close to the floor that my legs are almost parallel to the floor. This makes the angle between my upper-legs and torso more accute than say in an airplane or my wife's truck. However, last week I sat in my Pontiac Firehawk which has almost the exact same seating position and it was very comfortable even after 20 minutes.

I'm wondering if anybody else have found that their Boxster causes back pain. If so, have you found a solution? Yesterday I finally told my wife that I think I might have to sell the car if I cannot find a solution.

I've done a couple multi-hour drives in mine, most of the pain I experience is due to lack of lumbar support. Then again, I like the acute angle/bucket seat type thing, and have my Mazda adjusted the same way. I notice most people that drive my Mazda immediately lower the front of the seat.

-james

[timothy]

If it's a lumbar issue, some take a DIY approach with a blood pressure cuff inserted behind the back rest padding and pump wedged next to the center console. It works with stock seats; not sure about your Recaro.

[70Sixter]

A friend used to use a cylindrical pillow at the seatback where it meets the seat bottom. Said his chiropractor gave him the pillow. And he had one for every car.

Car #2 had duct tape wrap to turn square pillow into cylinder!

[Allen K. Littlefield]

I recently bought a Posture Curve Back Support , pg. 170, Performance Products:
www.************************************************************ This snugs up against my lumbar region and feels good during any drive (at least so far) Advanced Automotive has cheaper/less expensive examples but at $38 dollars and in a gray color I was pleased with the purchase. A strap holds it in place. You might give something like these products a try before selling the car.

AKL

[RandallNeighbour]

I have the same complaint about the seats. A lumbar pillow does help.

Turning on your seat heaters also will help the blood circulate in your back on long drives. Of course, that's not needed in my neck of the woods for a vast majority of the year.

[Mike_Yi]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Turning on your seat heaters also will help the blood circulate in your back on long drives. Of course, that's not needed in my neck of the woods for a vast majority of the year.

Assuming one has a seat heater.

[RandallNeighbour]

So true. I've actually got them in my newish seats but I have not plugged them in and wired them up.

In Houston, there's only about five days a year when the Boxster is out and seat heaters are appreciated.

I had really bad back pain driving my e46 m3...the pedals are pushed far to the left, to make room for the transmission firewall...as a result, I sat at a little bit of an angle..which, after 10 minutes, would cause serious pain in my lower back.

I haven't had any issues with the boxster. I think your cure is a nice deep tissue massage every day.

Originally Posted by Mike_Yi

Yesterday I finally told my wife that I think I might have to sell the car if I cannot find a solution.

[Mike_Yi]

Originally Posted by Fred Demara

I had really bad back pain driving my e46 m3...the pedals are pushed far to the left, to make room for the transmission firewall...as a result, I sat at a little bit of an angle..which, after 10 minutes, would cause serious pain in my lower back.

I haven't had any issues with the boxster. I think your cure is a nice deep tissue massage every day.

That's the way I feel in the Boxster, but I feel like the pedals are far to the right.

I was going for physical therapy and getting a massage once or twice a week. Man, did that help!

[Topless]

I used to have a lot of lower back pain in my 30's (scoliosis + motocross racing + waterskiing). I have since been doing regular back exercises and knocked off the motocross and can report 100% cure. My back feels great now at 53. On long drives in the Boxster I get a little stiff from lack of wiggle room so I do stop and stretch every 2 hours or so.

[Perfectlap]

I don't think its the seats. I dusted off my stock seats from storage this weekend to condition the leather and for a minute I sat in them and realized how well made that seat is.
I thin the problem is how low the seat is to the ground and the jarring from going over changing road conditions on a small amount of rubber. That vibration is traveling up your spine and causes the lower back muscles to fatigue. The last vert in my spine and tailbone are fused from a congenital defect so I'm sensitive to all things that are out of wack or even a slight weight gain.

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted by Mike_Yi

I've had mild back pain on and off for years. It's never been a big deal, though painful. Usually, I'd strain my back or wake up sore. It would be sore for a few days, then go away. If I did back strengthening exercises, it would never bother me.

I'm wondering if anybody else have found that their Boxster causes back pain. If so, have you found a solution? Yesterday I finally told my wife that I think I might have to sell the car if I cannot find a solution.

I would recommend seeing a chiropractor as soon as you can.
It sounds like their might be something out of position, that when you apply pressure to it just the right way, is pinching a nerve cluster.

If you can, bring your car, and ask him/her to take a look at your seating position, and show them where it hurts as you sit in the car. They can then look at your leg position, and lower back position, and most likely will be able to pin point the most likely locations that would cause your pain, rather quickly.

A trip shouldn't cost you much if you have decent insurance, and some places, like the one I go to, is only $35 for a session. One session a month or two, and I'm usually doing pretty good.

BC.

[rick3000]

I bought one of these for my car, it works well. My back no longer starts hurting after 2-3 hours of driving. Well worth $25, it won't fix your back but it certainly helps.
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/inseluinairc.html

[Mike_Yi]

Originally Posted by Bladecutter

I would recommend seeing a chiropractor as soon as you can.
It sounds like their might be something out of position, that when you apply pressure to it just the right way, is pinching a nerve cluster.

I've got a slight herniation in my L-5. It doesn't bother me every, except when in the car or thereafter.

[cvhs18472]

I rolled a discloth and put it at the base of the back rest and behind the cushion about two years ago and now do 3 or 4 hour rides with no more stiffness than in my wife's C-70 convertable. Much cheaper. Ed

[spine911]

Originally Posted by Mike_Yi

I've got a slight herniation in my L-5. It doesn't bother me every, except when in the car or thereafter.

Just like most patients that leave out the most important information last ...A Lumbar herniation, no matter how slight is the cause of the back pain...position seating, ergonomics are exaccerbating factors.

I am assuming that this has been a chronic problem, and you've been seen by your MD, Physical Therapist. It would be a good idea to do your home exercise back program (stretching, stabilization) regularly.

[Mike_Yi]

Originally Posted by spine911

Just like most patients that leave out the most important information last ...A Lumbar herniation, no matter how slight is the cause of the back pain...position seating, ergonomics are exaccerbating factors.

I am assuming that this has been a chronic problem, and you've been seen by your MD, Physical Therapist. It would be a good idea to do your home exercise back program (stretching, stabilization) regularly.

I'm pretty sure that the herniation is a result of driving this car. Seriously. I've had back pain before, but it's never been this type of back pain. It's always been a muscular thing, or a pinched nerve type of thing (tingling down my leg).

I work out regularly (including my back - carefully) as well as stretching and flexibility. When I say regularly, I mean six days per week.

I folded up some cloth and stuck it behind the lumbar area of my seat. The lower back pad on the Recaro seat covers the whole lumbar area, so it wasn't a big deal to do that. It seems a bit better. Time will tell.