Driving can be challenging when you’re experiencing pelvic pain and/or pelvic instability. 65% of women consider driving with pelvic conditions to be too painful, mainly because of the unpredictability of a drive. The road could be rocky and unexpectedly cause painful shocks to the pelvic ligaments. What’s going to happen during a drive is also unpredictable. Having to hit the breaks out of nowhere can be incredibly sensitive, but speeding up can be as well. Unexpected movements cause the most pain during driving when you have pelvic conditions. Your pelvis also has to endure making movements it normally doesn’t do. That already causes the irritated pelvic ligaments to become additionally taxed. However, driving is still possible with some advices and a few aids. It’s important that you keep the duration of the drive in mind and that you frequently take breaks. Sitting in the same position is also something that can increase pelvic pain.
What are pelvic instability and pelvic pain?
Pelvic instability is a known term for describing pain in the pelvis during or after pregnancy. However, pelvic instability has nothing to do with pelvic pain. Pelvic instability only describes the state of the pelvis. The pelvis, pelvic ligaments and pelvic floor muscles are weaker when you’re giving birth. The hormone Relaxin is released around the 12th week of pregnancy. This hormone causes your pelvic ligaments to become weaker and looser to prepare for a baby to be pushed through. This isn’t possible when your pelvic ligaments aren’t weaker. Each and every pregnant woman has to deal with pelvic instability, but not every woman experiences pain in combination with this. If you experience that the pelvic instability still causes pain, then you have pelvic pain. You can have pelvic instability and pelvic pain at the same time.
Symptoms of pelvic instability and pelvic pain
A few symptoms of pelvic pain co-morbid with pelvic instability is feeling as if there’s a belt tightly wrapped around the pelvis, experiencing a nagging pain in and around the pelvic area or lower back, a stabbing pain in the pelvis when you move, and a feeling of fatigue in the lower back or pelvis. Pelvic instability isn’t something you can avoid when you’re pregnant, but the pelvic pain that comes from it can be considered to be very painful.
Read an in-depth article about pelvic instability and pelvic pain during pregnancy here.
Can you drive with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
Driving with pelvic conditions is certainly possible, but this depends on the amount of pelvic pain you’re experiencing. How bad is the pain, and how do you manage it? These are the main questions you need to answer to be able to determine whether driving is possible for you. Driving isn’t recommended if your pelvic pain is unbearable and if you get unexpected stabs during certain movements. Driving is often possible despite a nagging pelvic or lower back pain being present. If the stabbing pain in or around the pelvic region isn’t too severe, it’s safe to drive. If necessary, practice on a parking lot with your partner. Hit the breaks, make sharp turns, and notice how your body is reacting to it.
For how long can you drive with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
The duration of the drive when you have pelvic condition depends on the pain level you’re experiencing. It’s still recommended to follow the same advice mentioned in the article about sitting with pelvic pain and pelvic instability. It’s smart to switch your posture for 5-10 minutes after you’ve been sitting in the same position for 20 minutes. For every 20 minutes you sit, walk or stand for 5-10 minutes. Take frequent breaks when you have a long drive ahead to prevent additional strain of the pelvic ligaments. Walking also ensures a proper blood flow through the muscles in your back and in/around your pelvic area. A proper blood flow can decrease the pain you’re experiencing in your muscles and ligaments.
How far can you drive with pelvic pain and pelvic instability?
It’s recommended to take a 5-10 minute break to walk or stretch after driving for 20 minutes. A drive of 20 minutes equals about 13-19 miles. It’s important that you schedule in a break after every 13 miles to prevent over-exhaustion of the already painful area in and around the pelvis.
Does driving with pelvic instability and pelvic pain hurt?
Driving with pelvic instability or pelvic pain doesn’t have to necessarily hurt. However, the risks of experiencing additional pain do increase. This mainly gets caused by unexpected movements or a rocky road.
What kind of pain can you experience during driving?
You can expect all sorts of pain when you drive with pelvic conditions. Pelvic pain isn’t really described as one type of pain. Pelvic pain can mean experiencing sudden, stabbing pain, but it can also mean a nagging pain around the lower back or pelvis. The stabbing pain is caused by unexpected movements. The pelvic ligaments are being stretched with every unexpected turn, this can cause a stabbing pain. The nagging pain is often continuously present and pretty manageable if you’re taking breaks on time and frequently switch up your posture.
Why is driving with pelvic instability and pelvic pain painful?
Driving with these pelvic conditions can be painful because of different reasons. Let’s discuss 6 of those reasons:
- Continuously sitting in the same position.
When you drive, you’re often holding the same position for a long time. Because you’re sitting, the weight of your entire torso and stomach are pressing on your pelvis. The pelvis is continuously under the same pressure when you’re driving. - Unexpected movements.
A drive can’t be predictable. A cat suddenly crosses the road, someone changes lanes without a blinker, and so forth. These unexpected situations call for action, and you enforce those actions. You’re abruptly using your muscles and are moving more than you might think. The pressure of the car on the body also changes. Breaking presses you forward and speeding up pushes you backward. These are all movements that can cause your pelvic ligaments to be additionally stretched. - Rocky road.
A rocky road constantly gives shocks. This is more noticeable with one car than with the other, but each additional shock can be painful. The bumps and holes in the road often come unexpectedly as well. You often can’t brace yourself properly for an oncoming bump. The pelvic ligaments will have to endure additional shocks which can cause a stabbing pain. You can also sit pretty cramped up on a rocky road in the hopes to prevent pain. But this causes the lower back and the pelvic floor muscles to become quickly overtaxed. - Improper sitting position.
A lot of people don’t quite know what a proper sitting position is. How do you sit up straight? If you experience pelvic pain or pelvic instability, you are already sitting differently by default. Pain often causes you to take on another, cramped up position, and by doing this you’re straining other muscles that aren’t used to carrying this load. A proper sitting position means less strain on your pelvis. So sit up straight and use the backrest. Sit on a proper distance from the steering wheel. Keep your arms lightly bent and make sure that your feet can properly reach the pedals while you keep your back placed against the backrest. - Unnatural movements of the pelvis.
Your pelvis moves when you drive. You are being tossed around a little. The pelvis isn’t used to these movements. People without pelvic instability have pelvic ligaments strong enough to catch those hits. But those pelvic ligaments are weaker and looser if you have pelvic instability. The pelvic bones have more room to move. This can cause pain. - Scared for pain.
If you’re scared for experiencing pelvic pain when you drive, there’s a big chance that you’re pacing around in a cramped up manner. The muscles that are being tensed up aren’t used to being used this way and become overtaxed. This can cause a nagging sensation in the lower back, upper back, and around the pelvis. Sit as relaxed as possible and take enough breaks to change your posture.
How to deal with pain when you drive with pelvic instability and pelvic pain
You can do a few things to manage your pelvic pain as much as possible during a drive. This can vary from using a plastic bag to taking frequent breaks, and from keeping your sitting position in mind to using an aid. Have a read through the advices about driving with pelvic conditions below.
4 advices for driving with pelvic pain and pelvic instability:
- Use a plastic bag when you get into the car.
Get into your car like this: Open the door and place a plastic bag or folded trash bag on the seat you want to use. The bag will make the turning in your seat easier! Face with your back towards the seat and squat through your knees, then move back to the seat. Your legs are still placed outside. Somewhat lift your legs, place your right hand on the steering wheel or dashboard and turn, while seated, moving both of your legs into the car. Like that you don’t enter the car with spread legs and your body weight isn’t placed on just one leg. Pull the bag from underneath you and your journey can begin! - Take frequent breaks.
Like I mentioned before, taking breaks when you drive with pelvic conditions is crucial. Take a 5-10 minute break for every 20 minutes you’re on the road. Make sure to take a walk, this improves the blood flow in and around the pelvis. If you keep track of miles rather than minutes, take a break every 13-18 miles to take a 5 minute walk. - Use an aid.
A plastic bag is a good aid to be able to smoothly get into the car without you experiencing pelvic pain. An ergonomic cushion is another aid that you can use. This decreases the pressure on the pelvis during your drive. Take a look at some of the recommended ergonomic cushions. - Proper sitting position.
A proper sitting position can prevent a lot of issues, including unnecessarily straining muscles. Use the backrest of the car seat and make sure that you aren’t sitting too far from the steering wheel. The arms need to be lightly bent, your back needs to be pressed against the backrest, and your feet need to be able to reach the pedals.
Is driving beneficial for the pelvic floor?
Driving isn’t necessarily bad for your pelvic floor, but it also isn’t necessarily good either. The pelvic floor is a muscle that isn’t being actively moved when you drive. The muscle isn’t being directly strengthened or trained when you drive.
Training your pelvic floor during a drive
It is possible to actively train your pelvic floor when you drive. This is easy and perfectly possible to do and it may make your drive even more fun. Take a look at my strengthening pelvic floor exercises to work on having a strong pelvic floor.
And lastly, are you looking for more information?
Hopefully this information was useful to you! If you’re still looking for some more information, feel free to take another look around on the website. It’s filled with in-depth information, tips, a web shop and also exercises. I still have a lot of articles with lots of information about other symptoms and issues. Feel free to click on the blue words to take you straight to the right page.
Personal recommendations for a weakened pelvic floor
So far, I hope that you’ve found information that can directly put you to work. If you are still looking for more advice, feel free to stick around. I will sum up some products that are suitable for helping you strengthen your pelvic floor.
- Strengthening pelvic floor exercises: These strengthening exercises have been specifically designed to train and strengthen the pelvic floor. This exercising module consists out of a variety of pelvic floor exercises that become tougher with each passing period. This will ensure a solid base for your pelvic floor and you prevent more pelvic issues, pelvic pain and other pelvic complications. Click here to directly go to the pelvic floor exercises.
- Vaginal/anal exercising kegels: The vaginal or anal exercising kegels (also called vaginal balls or Ben Wa balls) are suitable to combine with the strengthening pelvic floor exercises from bullet 1. The vaginal kegels differ in weight. You can adjust the weight the more you exercise and recover. That way the exercises remain challenging and you will continue to work on the strength of your pelvic floor. Click here to directly go to the overview of the personally recommended vaginal and anal exercising bullets.
