How do i relax my leg when driving?

[chromatic91]

I drive a Corolla 2005 and have started suffering from extreme piroformis pain in my right glutes when driving, a lot of online tutorials say to keep your legs in parallel and not tilt it to the right like a lot of us do.

This is what you are told normally:


But this is impossible for someone with piroformis, it aggrovates the nerve.
I need to keep it more like this, excuse the heel... No idea why they chose that picture.

How do i manage this? Every time i try to place my foot like that, i just floor it, no matter what seat settings i use, the pedal goes straight into the ground, unless i actively try to hover it in the air which is doable for like 20 seconds until your leg cramps... Why is the accelerator so easy to push down anyway? I wish there was a way to solve this. Any help is appreciated. Hugs

[Bper]

Hin Olof,I understand your frustration with piriformis pain while driving, and it's true that keeping your leg perfectly parallel can aggravate the nerve. Here are some ideas that they recommend online to manage the pain and find a more comfortable driving position

Seat height,raise the seat as much as comfortably possible this reduces hip flexion and keeps your leg straighter.Seat angle, tilt the seat back slightly to open the hip angle further.Adjust the distance between the seat and pedals so your leg is slightly bent but not reaching.Use a lumbar roll,Placing a roll in the small of your back encourages good posture and reduces pressure on the piriformis. Consider using a small, aftermarket footrest that elevates your left foot slightly, keeping your hips more level.While not ideal long term, for short stretches, you can try pivoting your right foot at the ankle to press the pedal down without fully flexing your hip. Regularly stretch your piriformis and surrounding hip muscles to improve flexibility,take breaks every 20-30 minutes to get out and walk around. This will improve circulation and reduce muscle stiffness. I hope some of this can help with your driving.

[Red_Corolla]

I would try to experiment with the seat position so that you can get your leg resting in a comfortable position with the heel grounded in front of the pedal. I think pushing the pedal should normally be done by contracting your calve so that your foot pivots forward on the heel without moving the heel itself, therefore the glute doesn't have to do much at all. It's the same reason that throttle pedals should never be stiff to push - this results in varicose veins all over the calve in people that drive long distances -  lots of haulage drivers would be able to show you. Also check if your steering wheel is reach adjustable - this makes it a lot easier to put all of the controls at a comfortable reach without compromising.

A throttle pedal that's mounted to the floor with the hinge at the bottom is a better solution, but sadly not found on a Corolla or cheap cars in general. You'll be lucky to find one on anything except luxury models or race cars.

[Roy124]

19 hours ago, Red_Corolla said:

so that your foot pivots forward on the heel without moving the heel itself,

Hence the advantage of 👠 

[TonyHSD]

Top picture is the most comfortable position  for me, I don’t do hills. 
Joke on the side everyone should use the position that is most comfortable and has the quickest reaction. I have seen some modification on some cars and acceleration pedal been moved up the steering wheel similar to motorbike to accommodate individuals needs, if any disability or difficulties are at present. 

[Cyker]

Someone posted a guide to seat positioning a while ago that I found useful, was maybe from Recaro or something?

If anyone can remember the link it might be useful to the OP

[Don Mac]

On 5/6/2024 at 2:42 PM, Cyker said:

Someone posted a guide to seat positioning a while ago that I found useful, was maybe from Recaro or something?

If anyone can remember the link it might be useful to the OP

https://www.recaro-automotive.com/en/services/recaro-seat-fit-guide#

[Dylanfan]

A lot of the problem is due to the pedal spring, if it’s too light your muscles are constantly working. If the spring is stronger it’s more like you’re resting your foot and you don’t get the problem as much.

 I don’t have any issues with my Corolla, but have had cars in the past that caused problems after only 20 miles or so.

[Cyker]

11 hours ago, Don Mac said:

https://www.recaro-automotive.com/en/services/recaro-seat-fit-guide#

Awesome, that's the one! Cheers mate

[FROSTYBALLS]

Also:

 

Physiomed_Sitting_Guide_-_Driving_Digital.pdf