New car is a pain in the butt - literally! Ideas?

[soupcxan]

I just bought a new car - Acura TSX - and driving it the last few weeks I have developed a noticeable pain on my right side. Mostly the pain is in my backside - my butt and glute (maybe the piriformis?). It seems to be getting worse the more I drive (not very long distances, less than an hour).

I've taken my wallet out of my pack pocket, tried adjusting the seat all different ways, but can't seem to make it go away. The car doesn't feel uncomfortable while driving, only after I get out does the pain start. Feels like a deep muscle ache.

I'm 30, 6ft, 150 lbs, so not unusually short/tall, and I don't have any injuries that could be bringing this out. The car is roughly the same size as my last sedan, I don't know why this started immediately after I changed cars. Any thoughts? I am desperate for ideas, the pain is too much to live with and trading in a virtually brand new car will result in additional (financial) pain.

 

[donheff]

No solutions but I have noticed that subtle differences in seats can make a big difference and often are not noticeable until you have been in them for a while (too long to catch on a test drive). I have seen it frequently while riding in back seats. Maybe adding some sort of seat cushion or one of the beaded things cab drivers use would make a difference. Acura TSX with nice leather seats fixed by a mat of beads

 

[REWahoo]

Hemorrhoid Information » Wonders of Hemorrhoids Cushion

 

[soupcxan]

Acura TSX with nice leather seats fixed by a mat of beads

That's ridiclously tacky but I would grin and bear if it would fix the problem.

Lesson learned is to ask the dealership for a loaner car of the same model for a long weekend drive before buying one.

Fortunately (unfortunately?) it's not hemorrhoids.

 

[FinanceDude]

More than likely the shape of the seat is different than you last car. Acuras are usually pretty comfortable. Most auto supply stores have many choices of things that can help. Also, sign up on the Acura TSX forum and post your question, lots of good help on there......

 

[TromboneAl]

Ideas:

Drive a diff car for a while to confirm that it is the new car and not coincidence. Also this will allow inflamation to go down.

Build core muscles with exercises.

Stretch before driving and take breaks.

P.S. You're only 30, maybe those don't apply.

 

[rescueme]

Maybe it's beause the wallet he sat on for years is now much thinner? ...

 

[TromboneAl]

Check this:

John Berardi - Pain In Your Butt

 

[W2R]

My Toyota (and my previous Toyota) both have adjustable lumbar support which for me, makes all the difference in the world in seat comfort. I'm sure the Acura must, too, right? I see that you have adjusted the seat a lot, but maybe you still need to fiddle with the adjustment just a little more to get the right amount of lumbar support for you. If it doesn't have lumbar support, you can get lumbar pillows designed for cars.

I had problems with F.'s Murano for a while. It doesn't have adjustable lumbar support on the passenger side. Also we had to use it as a cross country vehicle after Hurricane Katrina and the suspension got messed up, and that didn't help. Also I think that is how I cracked my tailbone. He had the suspension fixed which really helped, and my tailbone pain eventually vanished after a couple of years.

 

[Dimsumkid]

If you can't get good support from your seat adjusters....based on your height and weight, you sound like you don't have much cushion on your butt area. Maybe you need to add some padding, like a memory foam pillow to help from digging into the seat. DW had this problem before having a child, all bone back there...if you know what I mean.

 

[LOL!]

Kidney stones. You're old enough.

 

[W2R]

If you can't get good support from your seat adjusters....based on your height and weight, you sound like you don't have much cushion on your butt area. Maybe you need to add some padding, like a memory foam pillow to help from digging into the seat. DW had this problem before having a child, all bone back there...if you know what I mean.

I like this idea too, to reduce if not eliminate the pain.

 

[eytonxav]

If you can't get good support from your seat adjusters....based on your height and weight, you sound like you don't have much cushion on your butt area. Maybe you need to add some padding, like a memory foam pillow to help from digging into the seat. DW had this problem before having a child, all bone back there...if you know what I mean.

There are actually products (padded underpants) out there for both sexes for those that would like to supplement their posteriors, if you lack natural cushioning. Although these are supposedly for appearance maybe that would help.

Seriously, what sort of pain do you have? Several years ago I had a sciatic pain that absolutely drove me crazy driving in my car.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Nice car!

We have an Acura SUV and a 2-year-old Civic. The gas pedal in the Civic is in a different position than the SUV--maybe closer to the console, farther to the right--and I've noticed really painful hip/knee on the right side after driving it on long road trips. I wonder if your new car also has slightly different positioning of the pedals and that could also be causing back trouble?

 

[soupcxan]

Seriously, what sort of pain do you have? Several years ago I had a sciatic pain that absolutely drove me crazy driving in my car.

I guess it is sciatic pain, I think it's the piriformis based on descriptions, I haven't been to the doctor yet but the pain is 100% correlated with the length of time driving the car. The first few weekends I drove it with my wallet in my back pocket and maybe I pinched that nerve or inflammed something. How did you resolve your sciatic pain? I found that sitting on a heating pad last night helped quite a bit.

The gas pedal in the Civic is in a different position than the SUV--maybe closer to the console, farther to the right--and I've noticed really painful hip/knee on the right side after driving it on long road trips. I wonder if your new car also has slightly different positioning of the pedals and that could also be causing back trouble?

I think this is probably true, the gas pedal seems to be set back further than the brake (annoying) and possibly over to the right compared to my old car.

 

[eytonxav]

I guess it is sciatic pain, I think it's the piriformis based on descriptions, I haven't been to the doctor yet but the pain is 100% correlated with the length of time driving the car. The first few weekends I drove it with my wallet in my back pocket and maybe I pinched that nerve or inflammed something. How did you resolve your sciatic pain? I found that sitting on a heating pad last night helped quite a bit.

Soup,

Someone recommended a paperback book to me called "Oh, My Aching Back" which contains about 10 exercises that are very easy to do, and these exercises got rid of my sciatic pain in a week or two. This was after a year or more of misery and seeing several Dr without any relief.

 

[soupcxan]

Well I still haven't found any solution - I still get an ache in my right leg/butt after driving the car for more than 15 minutes. Oddly it doesn't appear while I'm driving the car, usually shows up an hour or two afterward. I've tried some stretching but doesn't seem to have much effect. I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of options, short of selling the car and taking the bath.

 

[Texas Proud]

Well I still haven't found any solution - I still get an ache in my right leg/butt after driving the car for more than 15 minutes. Oddly it doesn't appear while I'm driving the car, usually shows up an hour or two afterward. I've tried some stretching but doesn't seem to have much effect. I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of options, short of selling the car and taking the bath.

Is it new or used?

I have had problems with my last two cars like you described... the first was a Chevy Monte Carlo with leather... I just used a thin 1" foam pillow to sit on... after while I got rid of the pillow and all was well..

My current car is a 04 Acura TL... same problem...I did the same thing and after awhile it got better...
I think it takes the leather awhile to stretch... also, I changed the angle of the seat where the front is just slightly lower than the back... now, my problem was my back and thigh... not my butt... so maybe this does not work for you...

OH... also, I lean the back a bit more than others so I can recline on it... put some weight on the back and not all on the butt...

 

[soupcxan]

Is it new or used?

It's new, I've been hoping it would break in but so far does not seem to be. The pain is certainly less now that I've stopped sitting on my wallet (which I did in my old car without a problem) but still noticeable.

 

[Telly]

When you first got into this model for a test drive, did you notice anything different with the seating position vs. you're existing car? Maybe those first impressions, so easily forgotten, could be a key to the problem/solution.

I have gotten into cars where the seating position is lower, so my legs are out straight more. I find those are not well suited to me, but people are different.

 

[captain3d]

I had that pain. But It was exercise that had started it. The car was just bringing out the problem. It took a few months of stretching to fix it.

Try this...

Lie on back
Bend right knee so foot is flat on floor
Put arms out to side
lift right foot off the ground a little and lift it over you left leg
lower right knee towards left hand

You might feel the same pain. This stretches the muscle that also has the nerve attached. Work towards holding your right foot with your left hand and stretch for a minute each night before bed. In bed is good.

When I started this stretch was very tight. Now the pain has gone and flexibility is much better.

phil

 

[TromboneAl]

It should be possible to find a solution.

I'd say it's time for some serious experimentation. You've got to discover that critical difference that's causing the problem.

First, if you have another car that causes no problems, sit in it then immediately go sit in the new car. Is there any difference in positioning that's obvious? Can you do anything to make the new car seating position like the other car's?

If that doesn't help, perhaps you can experiment using a block of foam rubber or a pillow. Ride for 30 minutes with it under, say, one butt cheek. Better? Worse? Then try with it in other locations.

Since this is such a dramatic problem, I'd expect this to at least tell you where the problem lies.

 

[MasterBlaster]

When you first got into this model for a test drive, did you notice anything different with the seating position vs. you're existing car? Maybe those first impressions, so easily forgotten, could be a key to the problem/solution.

I have gotten into cars where the seating position is lower, so my legs are out straight more. I find those are not well suited to me, but people are different.

A test drive is what ? maybe 15 minutes max.

To really get to know a car you must sit in it for at least an hour. That's when you'll start to know.

Consider renting the car you are considering for a weekend if it's available as a rental. This can be very enlightening. and not just for seats. You can find out all sorts of things you like and don't like by having a sample car for a weekend.

Per the seat thing, try using a towel under your thighs for a little more lift. That's not a great thing to do with a new car but now that it's yours you need to accomodate each other.

 

[BigNick]

Drive a diff car for a while to confirm that it is the new car and not coincidence.

It could be both. A recent injury or bout of inflammation, which shows up in certain driving positions. I'd be surprised if a modern car seat is the direct specific cause of this kind of discomfort.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

That's ridiclously tacky but I would grin and bear if it would fix the problem.

Lesson learned is to ask the dealership for a loaner car of the same model for a long weekend drive before buying one.

Fortunately (unfortunately?) it's not hemorrhoids.

Hm...I drove around for 7 years in a 2002 Dodge Caravan Sport from 2002-2009 and used a piece of cardboard to firm up the cushion because the non-height-adjustable seat had developed a depression probably from the 1.5 years it spent as a rental car in Florida ferrying fat tourists, and there was no way to adjust the back of the seat bottom higher, so your definition of tacky and my definition of tacky are slightly different.

Just don't get one of those bead taxi seat cushions, and you'll be fine.