Inadequate car seat support may trigger back pain

Inadequate car seat support may be responsible for triggering back pain, reports Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information. And while there are improvised ways to ease and prevent back discomfort - like purchasing an inflatable pillow or moldable seat supports - most new cars now offer technically advanced lumbar support adjustments.

"Back-comfort systems are becoming more sophisticated in cars and sometimes are accompanied by heating, cooling and massaging options," says Edmunds.com Sr. Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. "This is welcome news for the majority of the population who will experience back pain problems at some point in their lives."

According to Edmunds.com data, 80 percent of 2011 model-year vehicles offer lumbar support as standard or optional equipment. Some 44 percent of models offer driver and passenger lumbar support as standard equipment, and 31 percent offer driver-only lumbar support as standard.

Specific examples of available back-soothing technology are:

• The SEL, Limited and SHO trim levels in the 2012 Ford Taurus feature six-way lumbar support and a rolling pattern massage.
• The 2012 Lexus LS 460 comes with a 16-way power driver seat for lumbar support. The L trim level also offers seats with heating and cooling.
• Massaging seats are also offered on the 2012 Jaguar XJ, the Executive versions of the 2012 Volvo S80 and the Executive and V8 Luxury versions of the 2012 Volvo XC90.