Aching shoulders

chris16

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Oct 13, 2013
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Hastings
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28,559
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Hi everyone

Just got back from a weekend in Bath and I am suffering from aching shoulders. Having only just got our first van I guess it is just getting used to the different driving position but does anyone have any tips for driving position or accessories such as neck/back supports?

What sort of mileage do you drive in a day? I am so used to eating up the miles in the car that 180 miles did not seem too bad but perhaps it was pushing it a bit too far!

Thanks in advance

Chris
 
Did you leave the armrests down? I put them up while driving as they make my shoulders ache!

We reckon on 150 miles a day. Leave at 9 arrive around 1 pm gives us time to suss the site and area and decide how long to stay. :)
 
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Could also be a bit of tension. 200 miles is about the longest I like to drive and I drive with arm rests down but adjusted for me. If badly adjusted they do make you ache.
 
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I only have 1 armrest and had it down. Will try it up on the next trip.
 
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Drove from Chatsworth to Littlehampton last month, but had no aches. I occasionally use the arm rests for motorway, but for through the town or "busy" driving I always keep them up (ie. I don't use them).

Bill:)

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Drove from Chatsworth to Littlehampton last month, but had no aches. I occasionally use the arm rests for motorway, but for through the town or "busy" driving I always keep them up (ie. I don't use them).

Bill:)

I don't do "busy" driving as a rule. When I said arm rests down I meant when cruising not doing stop / start / tight maneuvering when they would get in the way :)
 
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I have armrests down but raised quite high. I do find my seat position in the camper is much more relaxed than in the car
 
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In a MH you are sitting in a totally different position to a car therefore your muscles won't be used to being used in a different position for such a long length of time, chances are that you weren't totally 'settled' either with it being new to you, try having a play around with the height/rake/reach adjustments on the steering wheel and seat it can make a lot of difference.
 
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You need to play around with what is for you a totally different driving position.
In your car you are lower, your feet are higher and the s/wheel is more upright.
In your MoHo make sure that the back of your knees/thighs are comfortouble, your sat back in the seat but at the same time not stretching at all to reach the s/wheel. Can you adjust the wheel, up/down, back/forward?
I used to hate anyone moving my seat in my works van, seemed to take forever to get comfy again.

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Longest I usually drive in the motorhome is around 350-400 miles, but this is in Europe. In the UK even 250miles is a bit much.
I have the armrests in use, and having an Aclass I no longer have the problem of a painful neck that I used to get in a coachbuilt due to the top of the windscreen being too low with the raised seats due to the swivels.
 
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My legs aren't really long enough to reach the pedals comfortably, so I use one of those cheap metal mesh back supports to move me the extra bit forward that I need, and to support my back as well. Works a treat.
 
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swivel seats are higher than usual. I found I had problems with aching ankles until I raised the floor level a little. I don't use the arm rests as I found they cause aching shoulders when driving.
 
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Our last van was same as yours a boxer and we only had the one arm rest never caused me a problem in 4 years, we always drive from the house to tunnel in one go about 400 miles and would do more of I had to be somewhere for a set time and date.
 
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I found when I got our first MH that because of the swivel seats, and the frame of the blinds on the front windows I tended to "hunch down" when driving which caused shoulders to ache. All three of the vans we have had have had the same problem, took me a while to get used to it but once you get used to the new driving position its not too bad. As to distance travelled, I try to limit it to a max of 250 miles a day.

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I find that any fixed position will give me some sort of ake if driving to long on the first few days of any trip,so I tend to change angles and rake and steering wheel positions ,then after about a week it just feels right.(until we stay somewhere for a few days)because I then change the seat for lounging and have to start again.But "hey ho"What else have I got to do? Martin:imoutahere:
 
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I found when I got our first MH that because of the swivel seats, and the frame of the blinds on the front windows I tended to "hunch down" when driving which caused shoulders to ache. All three of the vans we have had have had the same problem, .

yes that's it. Left shoulder was far worse than right for me as the right tended to be more relaxed due to the gear change being that side. I was noticing in the end that without thinking I was 'lifting' the left shoulder due to the position of seat /height/ low screen.
 
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Its rare that we do a trip under 200 miles. Never had shoulders ache, numb bum sometimes but that about it. It will be your driving position, and maybe you were a bit tense. Try a few different seat positions and distances till you get it cracked. Hope your next trip is better (y)
 
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Sometimes you can't get the seat where you actually want it ,especially on older stuff like mine. I'd like the seat farther back & also angled back more but you are restricted by the sink/cooker unit that stops the seat going back farther & also the seat angle as the top of seat is hard against unit.
Passenger side is the same but obviously has far more leg room so isn't a problem.

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Thanks everyone. I did find I was a bit hunched due to the height of the seat and low windscreen. Will try a few different positions and see what works.
 
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Longest I usually drive in the motorhome is around 350-400 miles, but this is in Europe. In the UK even 250miles is a bit much.
I have the armrests in use, and having an Aclass I no longer have the problem of a painful neck that I used to get in a coachbuilt due to the top of the windscreen being too low with the raised seats due to the swivels.

Agree with that totally!(y)
 
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Thanks everyone. I did find I was a bit hunched due to the height of the seat and low windscreen. Will try a few different positions and see what works.

Don't know whether you have cruise control fitted but I find that with it engaged I can move about and relax my legs so avoid lower back tension and consequently don't hunch over the wheel, on our current pvc it also aids the mpg. Using a single arm rest causes muscle tension too imo. Our old Duetto had a single and I gave up using it as it 'appeared' to cause tension right across my shoulders.
 
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A long run for us is around 300 miles in Europe, occasionally 400, but we share the driving. In Britain 250 is enough.

I have the seat back upright so I don't have to lean back to rest my head, and the arm rest down, but I'm only 5'9" so the windscreen view is fine for me.
 
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It will go. As you say, it's your first motor home, I think it's just stress driving. It will go away as you drive it more :-)
 
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