UAE: Being stuck in traffic may be hurting you physically
Leg pain caused by prolonged driving is becoming a more common complaint among patients seeking medical care.
Patients in the Emirates’ are increasingly seeking doctors due to spasms in their calf muscles and soreness in the feet. Many of them do not hesitate to point fingers towards frequent driving as the actual cause behind their leg and back discomfort.
Several leg-related issues like slumping, prolonged static positions, and virtual cycling are starting to come to light as key factors.
As per Dr. Mohanad Qahwash, consultant in Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery at Canadian Specialist Hospital Dubai patients’ creating leg discomfort can also be rotational injuries from “overuse” stemming from long durations spent in the vehicle, given Dubai's high congestion and extreme traffic light frequences. He further went on to add, “The frequent use of the accelerator and brake while driving working out your legs…”
Additionally, it’s worth noting that this latent tension has the potential to develop inflammation over time, which is clinically termed as 'tenosynovitis', causing muscle spasms as well as joint inflammation- especially at the ankle and hip socket level.
Muscle fatigue in the right leg
Dr Qahwash noted that incorrect seat positioning aggravates this issue and the pain that starts in the leg can stretch to the thigh, hip, and lower back. “In my practice, this condition is more pronounced in the right leg because most people drive automatic cars which require propulsion as well as braking with the right leg. This repetitive cycle contributes to muscle exhaustion and inflammation,” he elaborated.
Dr Rajesh Garg, a specialist orthopaedic surgeon at Thumbay University Hospital, stated, “Yes, automatic cars are very helpful; the only downside is because of heavy traffic in UAE repeatedly using brakes and accelerator causes severe pain. We are witnessing an increase in the patients who complain of back as well as leg pain, quite commonly those patients who are professional drivers.”
Solutions
The maintenance of a stable driving posture places entire neck, back, shoulder, and arms muscles on static tension which, especially when maintained for a long time would result to localized muscle fatigue, discomfort accumulation, and pain in some areas.
Dr. Bachar Aboubaker, an orthopedic surgeon from International Modern Hospital in Dubai, emphasized the need of controlling these risks taking into consideration the congestion on the roads in UAE.
He suggested that drivers should take preemptive measures such as interruptions during long driving sessions, leg stretches, and adjusting the position of the seat in order to provide more support to the lower back. “In case of pain, if it lasts for more than a couple of weeks, it’s best to seek medical help in order to exclude the other causes such as nerve neuropathy, neuromuscular deficits, etc.,” added the doctor.
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