DRIVING WITH PAIN
In Australia, people spend many hours in their vehicle driving long distances or driving
shorter distances but in heavy traffic. When people have a painful condition, such as lower
back pain, whiplash injury, or chronic pain syndromes, driving can be very difficult. Often
clients report that they have reduced driving tolerance or that driving aggravates their pain.
In these situations, a driving assessment can help to improve driving comfort and tolerance. A
driving assessment includes an assessment of:
- Physical function (range of motion, strength, co-ordination) required for driving
- Impact of pain and medication on cognitive function (concentration, attention, judgment and
memory)
- Visual function (research indicates that pain may impact on vision)
- Ergonomic features of client's vehicle
- Driving habits and behaviours that aggravate pain
We make recommendations about appropriate sitting posture, equipment that may improve sitting
comfort and driving safety and driving techniques to reduce pain. A review of clients referred
to Driver Rehab with pain, over 2 years indicated that 80% of clients improved their driving
tolerance to 45-60 minutes.
To make a referral to Driver Rehab please complete a Referral Form.
Alternatively, please Contact us for more
information.
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