Long Distance Driving Causing Pain

by Wendy S
(Ireland)

I am a 54 mother of three teenage children. I am 5'2" tall and weigh about 8 stone (128 lbs I think). Until the children started at secondary school (45 miles away), I was able to keep very fit with running, swimming and dog walking - in fact, I have been a runner and swimmer all my adult life.

Eighteen months ago, I embarked on the commitment to drive the children to school each day and to collect them in the evening. This has involved at least four hours behind the wheel of my manual car each weekday.

Over the past four months I have noticed changes in my posture (round shouldered) and stiffness in my left hip joint. Then three weeks ago my back 'gave out' and I have been having physiotherapy and have not driven since then (husband has been driving).

I have been experiencing burning sensations in the left groin area, great stiffness in the left hip with reduced mobility, pain the sacroiliac region and the general feeling that my back muscles are weak.

I have just come across this website and am so relieved to learn, what I thought must have happened ie. shortening of muscles, but could not understand the precise problem - neither did my therapist although she was able to relieve the muscle spasm.

I will start immediately with the hip flexor stretching exercise and see how I get on.

We will also have to invest in an automatic vehicle and reduce the driving in additions to daily stretching.

Thank you for all the invaluable information.