Sore knees, from driving?

jozi

Anyone else get this? Been doing quite a bit more mileage than I normally would, prob abut 600miles since friday evening, just back from driving Cavan-Dublin and my knees are killing me They hurt a bit when going up the stairs.

Is it really me getting old, and I'm only a young lad :P

L1011

Long distances, manual car and the wrong seating position; or just long distances in a manual car on bad roads will give you this.

I can drive 1000km a day and be fine under normal circumstances, but if I'm caning it across the backroads to mid-Cavan or somewhere in an emergency I'll barely be able to walk after it.

Berty

Its called Synovial fluid and it settles when you do not move often and its really only your right knee that gets a good stretch on a long journey.

You need a good stretch every so often.

ytareh

Try moving seat a bit forward ?Its a misconception that if 'grannies' drive practically with their noses stuck to the wheel that 'good drivers' should have the classic 'boy racer ' arms outstretched position waaaay back position.
I generally prefer being a bit closer than a bit too far ...Im sure theres loads of sites with info on this kinda thing.Are your pedals a bit 'offset' /off to one side?That could be an issue too.Bottom line I suppose though if youre doing lots of miles all of a sudden your body is tired from new strains being placed on it.Your arms would be sore if ya started sawing a pile of wood all day all of a sudden.

jozi

Hmm... Was mostly Dublin-Cavan-donegal and back and then to cavan and back again today.

I get a click in my left knee from time to time and need to stretch it or it's very uncomfortable, this knee hurts the most.

The seat might be back to far, need to stretch to reach the clutch pedal. Always driven like this just never had a problem but then again I haven't done this much driving in the car since I got it. I'll slide the seat forward a notch and see how it goes.

EDIT: Only seeing the above 2 posts now after posting the above.

Pedals are very much offset to the outside (old BMW) and as above, I don't usually do to much driving.

Gonna have a read of that link in a sec.

ytareh

MYOB 1000 km a day ...hope that was an extra zero added by mistake or what do you rack up those miles doing!?

Berty

ytareh wrote: »

MYOB 1000 km a day ...hope that was an extra zero added by mistake or what do you rack up those miles doing!?

He does a fair bit of driving. I personally did (gets out diary) 972kms today.

L1011

ytareh wrote: »

MYOB 1000 km a day ...hope that was an extra zero added by mistake or what do you rack up those miles doing!?

Field service engineer for an extremely specialised product/sector. 1000km a day is rare but has happened. I did a little under 500km today.

star-pants

Just regarding sitting closer -- I have my seat rather far forward (cuz I'm only little!) but I get a very sore right knee and right hip when driving long distances. It can even run up into my right elbow, I'm not overly tensing, and I stretch my leg every so often. Usually have to crack my ankles too. Maybe something to support your back side as if you've left foot fairly relaxed and right foot stuck on the accelerator your hips aren't at the same level as such, sometimes I find putting my right hand under my right hip for a few mins eases it slightly.

(I do have fibromyalgia, and thus have bad joints, but still long journeys like that make it worse)

edit - my 'long' journey btw lol, is from say Dublin to Galway

peasant

That's why I like driving vans ...sitting up like in a chair instead of half lying down

staker

I get this too OP, but mine get cold too from not moving, so I've always tried to stretch them when I'm on a straight...
OH has cruise control which is brilliant for this as I'll stretch them easier when I want to...

unkel

More than 1000km is by any means substantial for a day but it depends completely on the circumstances. The last time I did that was on Floridas highways in an automatic convertible. That's about the easiest and most relaxed driving in the world

I can imagine the same distance on Irish back roads in a manual sh1tbox would be some performance alright that would leave most of us exhausted.

unkel

@OP - If I were you, I'd visit my GP. You're young and presumably fit enough and you get pains after doing about 100 miles on roads that aren't too bad. I'd get that checked out.

jozi

:eek: Who said I drove a **** box, thats just insulting :P

I'll try stretching a bit more as well as move the seat forward. Not sure I my feet positions are to far of, pedal is hinged from the floor and relaxing enough to press.

Glad to know it's not me getting old then :P

RE seating position, last car I would have driven nearly as much in had a more upright and higher seat position. This car has fairly low seats but a more comfortable back rest than parents car (which gave me a sore lower back on very long drives)

Mr Benevolent

Anyone with knee problems would really benefit from an automatic.

jozi

Unkel: 26 years young ,if thats considered young? As for the fit bit, I'll admit I'm lazy and don't get half as much exercise as I should.

Confab: I don't think I'll ever drive an automatic, at least not untill I get to drive on and see how good/bad I think it is.

unkel

jozi wrote: »

:eek: Who said I drove a **** box, thats just insulting :P

Was just a general point I was making - not about your lovely BMW

But seriously - if I was getting pains from relatively easy driving, I'd be worried.

Berty

Confab wrote: »

Anyone with knee problems would really benefit from an automatic.

unless its your right leg and then you are just screwed.

jozi

unkel wrote: »

Was just a general point I was making - not about your lovely BMW

She is lovely :cool:

Is it the constant cruising, no gear change then that causes it or the on/off clutch the whole time?

pajero12

God bless cruise control..all ill say:)

unkel

pajero12 wrote: »

God bless cruise control..all ill say:)

I like cruise control, but in this country it's pretty much useless

I've made it from just north of Dublin Airport to Dundalk (except of course for the toll) on 130km/h (sat nav calibrated - a tad more on my speedo) on uninterrupted cruise control once over the years. And I made it into a game / challenge - anticipating circumstances coming up that would exit me out of cruise mode and trying to avoid that, etc.