Ergonomic considerations for big older dudes

[LoXodonte]

I should review my owners manual for seat movement options as I've seen a couple people mention "lowering"; I am aware of forward and back motion on sliding track to adjust distance to pedals; and the angle adjust for the seat back..incline perhaps? Did a quick google search on seat height and it sounds as though there is no stock option.

Something that has already made a huge difference was raising my steering wheel height. Somehow I completely forgot that I lowered it a couple months ago; the result was reduced range of motion for my knees, and I believe I subconsciously made adjusted my movement and tensed the knees up more. I don't think this was the sole cause but this adjustment has made a difference, and the driving has been more enjoyable as well! Not sure why I made the change initially...

[Face_Plant]

Originally Posted by LoXodonte

Did a quick google search on seat height and it sounds as though there is no stock option.

What year is your car? I'm fairly certain that my 2015 is a base/no options model (bought it used, no window sticker came with it so I'm not 100% sure) and it still came with the up/down lever. Maybe earlier models didn't have it?

[jcw99]

I'm 74, 5ft 7in, 244 lbs. I move my seat all the way back when going in and out.I go in ass-1st and then rotate 90*. When I get out, I rotate 90*, then, I put my elbows up on the A and B pillars and then do a "breast-stroke" to get my fat self out of there.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by jcw99

I'm 74, 5ft 7in, 244 lbs. I move my seat all the way back when going in and out.I go in ass-1st and then rotate 90*. When I get out, I rotate 90*, then, I put my elbows up on the A and B pillars and then do a "breast-stroke" to get my fat self out of there.

Better get your Buick, old man, before they quit maken em -


humfrz

[jcb476]

[QUOTE=LoXodonte;3151262]I should review my owners manual for seat movement options as I've seen a couple people mention "lowering"; I am aware of forward and back motion on sliding track to adjust distance to pedals; and the angle adjust for the seat back..incline perhaps? Did a quick google search on seat height and it sounds as though there is no stock option.

The front-most lever on the left side of the driver's seat is for lowering/raising the entire seat. My 2013 model has this feature and sure every year after does as well.

[HKz]

Originally Posted by LoXodonte

I should review my owners manual for seat movement options as I've seen a couple people mention "lowering"; I am aware of forward and back motion on sliding track to adjust distance to pedals; and the angle adjust for the seat back..incline perhaps? Did a quick google search on seat height and it sounds as though there is no stock option.

Something that has already made a huge difference was raising my steering wheel height. Somehow I completely forgot that I lowered it a couple months ago; the result was reduced range of motion for my knees, and I believe I subconsciously made adjusted my movement and tensed the knees up more. I don't think this was the sole cause but this adjustment has made a difference, and the driving has been more enjoyable as well! Not sure why I made the change initially...

pump this down....

[Aluma007]

6ft 205lbs here, I find it best to place my palm on the door sill plastic and use my arm to prop myself up off the seat to get out of the car. wife struggles either way and shes tiny in comparison.

[BellaItalia]

Originally Posted by LoXodonte

I try to be a health conscious person; I use a sit stand desk and try to comply to ergonomic standards which are highly available for office work.
I've owned the car for a little over a year and I've developed some knee pain which I noticed intensifies during the commute. I'm 38, 6 2, and about 210lbs. Perhaps there are some strategies I haven't considered.

I've got almost 30 years, and 50 lbs on you, i never have a problem rolling out onto the pavement

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by LoXodonte

I've owned the car for a little over a year and I've developed some knee pain which I noticed intensifies during the commute.

I've been meaning to circle back to this. I tore up both my knees in martial arts when I was a teenager, and I'm paying for it now that I'm older. It doesn't help that I'm overweight, but my knees will act up just from sleeping with them in the wrong position. For your reference, I'm a long-legged 6'.

This car hurt my knees two different ways when I first got it. First was how I got into and out of the car. At first I would put my right leg in first, sit and swing my left leg in. That would put lateral stress on the joints and cause instant pain followed by inflammation the rest of the day.

I quickly learned to do what the rest of these folks have said, sit my fat ass in the seat first, then pull my knees up and swing my feet in together. It requires me to use my stomach muscles. It can be a challenge if someone has parked close to the door, but like I said earlier I'm usually able to park so that I avoid that issue.

The other way this car hurt my knee, especially the right one, is that the early years of this car came with a hard plastic knee rests next to the center console. I found that driving more than a short distance with my right knee resting against that vibrating hard plastic would trigger inflammation. I didn't even realize that's what was doing it at first. I would just get out of the car and feel like I'd taken a kick to the knee.

At the time (2014) there was a JDM-only option for softer padded knee rests, so I ordered a pair and replaced them. The swap is a bit of an ordeal, since you have to pull out the entire center console between the seats (if you try to force them out without removing the console you'll break stuff), but it's just more time-consuming than technically challenging. Toyobaru added the padded knee rests to the later models, so if this is your issue, either the JDM pads or the later USDM pads should work.

There's also a padded knee rest for the doors if your left knee position is the issue. I ordered a set of those also, but I've never gotten around to installing them because it never really bothered my left knee.

[extrashaky]

One other thing that may help you, I don't know:

Occasionally I can feel the inflammation coming on in my knees, and I've found that I can often head it off by doing a few leg extensions from a seated position. If I find that my knees have stiffened up during a long drive, when I get out of the car I'll swing my legs out together, then while still seated I'll extend each leg straight out as if using a leg extension attachment on a weight bench. For a lack of a better way to describe it, the leg extensions make it feel like I'm pulling everything back straight. Three or four of these is usually enough to smooth out the motion in my knee and make it easier to stand up out of the seat without my knees feeling like they're going to buckle.