Everyone should take this moment to consider correct posture.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to change the angle of my rear-view mirror to remind myself to sit straight.
In essence, try to force the lowest part of your neck to touch the heighest point on the headrest.
Then notice how you cannot see out of your rear view mirror. Adjust it from this position, and get used to it.
It’s gonna be weird for a while, but I assure you, this is what is best for your spine. I’ll take your gratitude in advance, for when you’re 80 and not folded over.
Lowest part of neck to higheat part of the headrest? Sounds like the before times when peoples necks snapped in acidents because nothing stopped their head shooting backward
Yeah, the headrests in cars are angled forward because it’s the safest in the event of a crash. Unfortunately, that means that the headrests are generally uncomfortable. The back of the head should be resting on the headrest; the neck should NOT be resting on the headrest unless you want to risk permanent injury or death.
If you have an accident, whiplash is partially countered by a seatbelt, but if you do have an accident, the severity of your neck damage will be dependant on your resting posture.
With a correct posture, there is less deviation in how your spine bends.
In any case, headrests are adjustable, make sure it’s set correctly. Unless your posture is perfect, changing your ergonomics will be uncomfortable.
Whiplash is from your head moving more than your neck can compensate for. The headrests are designed to prevent excessive backwards movement of your head to help your neck not get completely over-extended. Heads are actually quite heavy and there are a lot of very important things inside the neck that you don’t want getting fucked up be getting jerked around too much. The muscles in your neck can only do so much in a high-velocity situation like a crash.
Sure. What I’m inferring is the head moves more without a tight seatbelt, due to the additional inertia of your body, and its angle.
It might be easier to imagine it with an example. If you’ve ever taken a class in something like Judo, the first thing they’ll teach you is how to fall. It is incredibly important to maintain good posture as you fall, as hitting the mat with your head tilted too high is something that can turn you paraplegic in a second.
Same goes for a car. If your posture is fucked up, and your head hits the headrest wrong, it could lead to a broken neck.
As you train better posture, both your spine and the muscles around it find a new relaxed state. Essentially eliminating the risk of your head folding under the headrest.
I’ve played Judo, and I’m a licensed EMT, and I’ve worked in ERs, and I’m a third year medical student. I am quite confident in telling you that you are incorrect. Modern safety standards make it so that the seatbelt locks in a crash and limits your longitudinal inertia. Also, many dummies (and actual humans I have cared for) have “hit their head wrong” on the headrest due to their height, posture, or position, and they don’t break their necks. Did their scalenes, paraspinal muscles, and sternocleidomastoids hurt like hell? Absolutely. But they didn’t have broken necks.
Your body can compensate for a lot, but it was the introduction of headrests in cars that has been one of the biggest contributors to the drastic reduction in fatalities. The point of the headrest is the same as the seatbelt: to limit the range of motion your body goes through in a crash. Seatbelt signs and headrest concussions are real things that can cause some pretty significant problems, but those problems are easier to fix when the patient isn’t dead or quadriplegic.
Modern safety standards make it so that the seatbelt locks in a crash and limits your longitudinal inertia.
That’s what I was trying to say.
I’ve now realised that I’ve explained myself poor. To reiterate;
Seatbelts reduce whiplash, so does correct posture. Poor posture inherently leads to a loosed seatbelt because it extends the range between you and your seat.
A lot of people consider a crash which lurches you forward, but if you get rear ended, the difference which matters will be your posture. If your head and neck are cushioned, you’re going to be much better off.
Fair point about the broken spines. It’s not hard to imagine how much worse things could be without correctly fitted headrests and seatbelts.
Best advice I ever received posture wise was to pretend my nipples were Lazer guns and try to shoot people in the face. I like to say pewpew in my head
Mine forces bad posture. Sitting with an erect spine means my head is tilted steeply forward.
I have to lean the seat back until I’m not resting my back against the seat so there’s less pressure in my neck. That means I’m not able to rest my upper back at all.
178cm is pretty average is it not? Though the seats need to accommodate women as well. So your average is closer to 170. Still, the seat is comfortable for my back, the had rest just push my head forward uncomfortably far resulting in neck soreness even with good posture. Maybe i have a long head? Idk, guess im a xenomorph.
Turning it around is and feels dangerous, but extremely comfortable. Wish i could tilt the head rest just a bit. Maybe I’ll just permanently bend it. Feels like if i got rear ended there would be a lot of pressure on the base of my neck.
Everyone should take this moment to consider correct posture.
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to change the angle of my rear-view mirror to remind myself to sit straight.
In essence, try to force the lowest part of your neck to touch the heighest point on the headrest.
Then notice how you cannot see out of your rear view mirror. Adjust it from this position, and get used to it.
It’s gonna be weird for a while, but I assure you, this is what is best for your spine. I’ll take your gratitude in advance, for when you’re 80 and not folded over.
Lowest part of neck to higheat part of the headrest? Sounds like the before times when peoples necks snapped in acidents because nothing stopped their head shooting backward
Yeah, the headrests in cars are angled forward because it’s the safest in the event of a crash. Unfortunately, that means that the headrests are generally uncomfortable. The back of the head should be resting on the headrest; the neck should NOT be resting on the headrest unless you want to risk permanent injury or death.
If you have an accident, whiplash is partially countered by a seatbelt, but if you do have an accident, the severity of your neck damage will be dependant on your resting posture.
With a correct posture, there is less deviation in how your spine bends.
In any case, headrests are adjustable, make sure it’s set correctly. Unless your posture is perfect, changing your ergonomics will be uncomfortable.
Whiplash is from your head moving more than your neck can compensate for. The headrests are designed to prevent excessive backwards movement of your head to help your neck not get completely over-extended. Heads are actually quite heavy and there are a lot of very important things inside the neck that you don’t want getting fucked up be getting jerked around too much. The muscles in your neck can only do so much in a high-velocity situation like a crash.
Sure. What I’m inferring is the head moves more without a tight seatbelt, due to the additional inertia of your body, and its angle.
It might be easier to imagine it with an example. If you’ve ever taken a class in something like Judo, the first thing they’ll teach you is how to fall. It is incredibly important to maintain good posture as you fall, as hitting the mat with your head tilted too high is something that can turn you paraplegic in a second.
Same goes for a car. If your posture is fucked up, and your head hits the headrest wrong, it could lead to a broken neck.
As you train better posture, both your spine and the muscles around it find a new relaxed state. Essentially eliminating the risk of your head folding under the headrest.
I’ve played Judo, and I’m a licensed EMT, and I’ve worked in ERs, and I’m a third year medical student. I am quite confident in telling you that you are incorrect. Modern safety standards make it so that the seatbelt locks in a crash and limits your longitudinal inertia. Also, many dummies (and actual humans I have cared for) have “hit their head wrong” on the headrest due to their height, posture, or position, and they don’t break their necks. Did their scalenes, paraspinal muscles, and sternocleidomastoids hurt like hell? Absolutely. But they didn’t have broken necks.
Your body can compensate for a lot, but it was the introduction of headrests in cars that has been one of the biggest contributors to the drastic reduction in fatalities. The point of the headrest is the same as the seatbelt: to limit the range of motion your body goes through in a crash. Seatbelt signs and headrest concussions are real things that can cause some pretty significant problems, but those problems are easier to fix when the patient isn’t dead or quadriplegic.
That’s what I was trying to say.
I’ve now realised that I’ve explained myself poor. To reiterate;
Seatbelts reduce whiplash, so does correct posture. Poor posture inherently leads to a loosed seatbelt because it extends the range between you and your seat.
A lot of people consider a crash which lurches you forward, but if you get rear ended, the difference which matters will be your posture. If your head and neck are cushioned, you’re going to be much better off.
Fair point about the broken spines. It’s not hard to imagine how much worse things could be without correctly fitted headrests and seatbelts.
Best advice I ever received posture wise was to pretend my nipples were Lazer guns and try to shoot people in the face. I like to say pewpew in my head
My nips are so pointy they practically shoot people in the face anyway.
Ass down cock up tits out shoulders back
Mine forces bad posture. Sitting with an erect spine means my head is tilted steeply forward.
I have to lean the seat back until I’m not resting my back against the seat so there’s less pressure in my neck. That means I’m not able to rest my upper back at all.
What i wouldn’t give for 1cm of adjustment.
It’s not cheap but you can replace your seat.
Lol no. Im just going to move so i can drive less.
Now I’m curious what you’re driving.
'08 impreza but it was the same with the rav4. It’s consistent with most cars unless they’re very old or way too fancy for my wallet/tastes.
I’m confused, is this a problem with your seat, or your height?
178cm is pretty average is it not? Though the seats need to accommodate women as well. So your average is closer to 170. Still, the seat is comfortable for my back, the had rest just push my head forward uncomfortably far resulting in neck soreness even with good posture. Maybe i have a long head? Idk, guess im a xenomorph.
Turning it around is and feels dangerous, but extremely comfortable. Wish i could tilt the head rest just a bit. Maybe I’ll just permanently bend it. Feels like if i got rear ended there would be a lot of pressure on the base of my neck.
Hey I started doing that! Kinda helps