I was curious as to whether or not someone on here has experienced or knows someone who's experienced the same issue that I'm experiencing right now. I've recently (within the past month or two) started driving a manual shift vehicle on a daily basis. It's a '92 Prelude Si, not that it really matters. The trouble is this: Within just a day or two of purchasing the car, I started experiencing severe lower back pain in the left side of my body, extending all the way down to the left ankle. In the month and a half or so that I've been driving the car, I haven't gone a day without being in pain for at least a significant percentage of the day. It's not constant pain, but it seems to flair up frequently and at random. Obviously the bright thing would be a trip to the doctor. Without insurance though, I can't afford it. I use the car to deliver pizzas for a fairly busy pizza shop and thought that the continual shifting over the period of time I'm working might have something to do with the pain I'm having. I was hoping, if someone else has experienced this same problem, they might be willing or able to offer some insight. Thanks in advance.
Never had that problem, but I don't deliver pizzas. Maybe
that's what the "dead pedal" was designed for? It's an area
left of the brake raised up for a footrest.
EDIT: Actually, I have "felt your pain", on rare long trips.
I think it's caused by having your left foot "poised" over
the clutch pedal, or maybe just ergonomics? But the "dead
pedal" thing I've read in R&T. Plus, think about it: when
you're driving an auto, do you use both feet, or just the right?
Could be your sciatic nerve being pinched. You can try and adjust the seat around. I get it when I worked, driving a crown vic. It can lead to serious problems
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I'll definitely play around with the seats and what not. It's something that's got me fairly concerned, especially since I can't afford to do anything about it, with the exception of buying pain meds. I've been told by numerous people that it's the sciatic nerve being pinched, which I believe just because it feels like a pinched nerve and not so much like muscle pain. Muscle pain goes away after a while. The strange thing is I went from driving an automatic prelude to a manual prelude of the same year. Seats and what not are in more or less the same position that I'm used to. For whatever reason, driving the manual gradually causes severe pain, which is actually more severe AFTER a night of driving. I don't have pain whenever I drive the automatic. Trouble with that, is the heat doesn't work in the automatic and Ohio isn't known for warm winters. Anyhoo, thanks for the replies. I more or less just wanted to know if other people had experienced similar pains from driving stick shift.
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Get a stage 5 clutch, you'll be fine.
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i dont know what the deal is where everyone thinks the higher stage clutches are stiff pedals... i had a stage 4 on a cable tranny, and i was worried that something was fucked up because it was LIGHTER PEDAL than the OEM i drove it and beat the piss out of it regularly it was still holding strong when i sold the car.... maybe clutchmasters are just geniuses
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so fuckin blow those words out the back of your head, ive heard it all and im done with that shit
i dont know what the deal is where everyone thinks the higher stage clutches are stiff pedals... i had a stage 4 on a cable tranny, and i was worried that something was fucked up because it was LIGHTER PEDAL than the OEM i drove it and beat the piss out of it regularly it was still holding strong when i sold the car.... maybe clutchmasters are just geniuses
Yeah, I have a stiffer clutch on my Sol, and
the pedal "feel" is actually lighter. Maybe I just
got lucky and the installer knew his shit? Gotta'
rev up and "work it" not to stall in 1st, though.
EDIT: I think tofuspeedstar was just fucking
around?
Yeah, I have a stiffer clutch on my Sol, and
the pedal "feel" is actually lighter. Maybe I just
got lucky and the installer knew his shit? Gotta'
rev up and "work it" not to stall in 1st, though.
EDIT: I think tofuspeedstar was just fucking
around?
ehh who knows, most people swear that a stiffer clutch is a stiffer pedal
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so fuckin blow those words out the back of your head, ive heard it all and im done with that shit
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If it's on the left side of your body, it's because you drive without resting your left "clutch" foot. you have it "hanging" over the clutch. A lot of stickshit cars don't have the footrest so just bring your foot back closest to the seat. I drive all day and night so i had the same problem. Just my leg though not my whole body.
Well, it's actually been like this for going on 2 months now. It's only the lower left side of my back and down into the left ankle where I'm feeling the pain. The shitty thing is I don't really get much of a chance to rest my leg when I'm working. Most of my deliveries are in town. Here, you usually don't go more than an 1/8th of a mile at a time before you have to stop. In most cases it's actually a shorter distance than that. The only exceptions are the main streets. I'm probably just going to have to take advantage of open enrollment for health insurance at work when it comes around then go to the doctor.
I was reading up on your problem. The thing is, driving an Auto, the seat position would be different than driving a manual. Maybe you could be sitting to close, and your using your left foot more than you use too.
First, try to adjust your seat, so that your further away front the peddles. You dont have to push the clutch in all the way. It just needs to engage, so that you can shift gears without grinding the clutch. If that still doesnt work for you. Get a massage and acupuncture(sp?). So that your nerves are not pinching. And you feel better about yourself.
Second, dont shift a lot. Just keep it in the lowest gear if you dont plan on shifting up. So your not always shifting up and down in an 1/8th of a mile. 2nd gear is okay, as long you dont redline.
Worst case scenario. Neutral is your friend. Hopefully this helps. I miss manuals.
Well thankfully, I've not been having back pain lately. I think I got my seat adjusted to where it's finally comfortable. I'm driving my civic more now too, and I think I'm more comfortable with it than the prelude. I don't have to fully extent my leg to shift when I'm driving the civic. In the prelude, it always seemed like a pretty far reach to depress the clutch pedal, even when I had my seat scooted close to the steering wheel. I guess preludes aren't meant for those with short legs, such as myself.
i drove it and beat the piss out of it regularly it was still holding strong when i sold the car.... maybe clutchmasters are just geniuses
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