The Prius is killing me!

This topic has been discussed many times. Search is a really useful tool. I did one for you:

Google

Happy reading,
Tom

 

Sell.

 

Try a small cushion for the lower back. Don't wear your wallet in a back pocket.

 

Most suggestions mainly involve getting some seat cushions, maybe ones with lumbar support. One good one, tho obvious, is to take out everything from your pockets, i.e. keys, wallet, phone, etc, if you're going in for a long drive.

 

I know this may not sound like much but have you checked into any surgical supply stores to see if they have some sort of support cushion for your lower back that you could buy that would give you some added support in that area since you don't have a power lumbar in your particular vehicle???? That may be a good idea to check and see as I am sure many people who have had therapy or back surgeries, that this would be a good avenue for something to try......

I owned a 2003 Prius and I have to tell you that was one of the only complaints to that year for me, was the comfort of the seat or angle, never sure what it was from...but I fealt it in my lower back area..fatigue I guess is the best way to describe it and stiffness.

I just took delivery of my 2010 Model V with leather and power lumbar and have to say, 90% improvement and have not had that discomfort in this model at all. I have not taken it on a long trip yet but I suspect the early results are very encouraging. Toyota IMO made some great strides with this in this years introduction.

Best of luck but do check out a surgical supply place to see if they have some sort of lumbar cushion or support that may save your back and fatigue..

 

Believe me when I say, my "bottom side" would go numb in the 2003 and I was quite frustrated, but if you go to a Medical Supply place tell them you don't want THICK and you want something for added support to the lower back area. Also try adjusting the recline of the seatback trying different angles may help as well.

Best of luck...

 

There's a thread here about putting adding washers to the front seat bolts. This raised the front of the seat pan and provided better thigh support. I think the poster was a tall guy too. I'm on a poor internet connection at the moment otherwise I'd try to search and find the link for you. Good luck.

 

Do you have the leather? I'm having no issues and I'm about the same height and weight. Maybe it's because I have the leather with lumbar support.

 

I love my pri seats, and i have a very bad back

 

I suppose the OP and subsequent posters demonstrate how difficult it can be for ergo designers to hit the mark. The Camry we had b4 the Prius was absolute murder on my thighs even after 15-20 min or so (not so much my lower back, due to the lumbar support), but to the contrary the Prius' seating position is extremely comfortable regardless of how long I'm behind the wheel.

 

Unfortunately, no seat fits everyone. Here are some suggestions:

1. As has been said before, an external back support cushion might work, as might one of the seat bottom cushions.

2. Power lumbar support can be added to the seat back. Search on power lumbar support. Several have done this.

3. If you want to give up the side air bag, you can replace the entire seat with an aftermarket seat from Corbeau or Recaro. This is not cheap, however.

4. Interestingly, after changing my seats from cloth to leather I find them to be much better - leather seems to be more comfortable, probably because it is more supportive (doesn't give like the streatchy fabric).

5. The suggestion about putting washers under the front bolts is a good one. I've done this to numerous cars, but didn't feel the need in my Prius.

 

My solution is Vicodin HP. It definitely works.

 

Perhaps you should consider a Recaro seat. They are expensive, but if you are spending lots of time in your car, IMO it's a worth while investment in your physical wellness. I've heard of people with orthopedic conditions having their doctor prescribe these seats - so perhaps insurance might cover some of the expense. You might want to see an orthopedist for a recommendation. Perhaps there's a more serious issue that's being exacerbated by the stock Prius seats.

.: RECARO :.

 

Hi Ryprius,

Are you long legged, or long in the torso? If your long in the Torso you may need to go with the different seat route. I had a guy who was built like that in my car, and he had to stoop to have a horizontal line of sight out the front window. Such stooping, is going to set the back up for all sorts of bad shock loads during driving. He drove a VW Golf - no problem. Its because the Prius seat is very thick in the base, which makes it good for people with average length dimensions, but husky (like me). The VW seat was close to being a plastic shell. So, even in the taller Prius, he could not fit.

If your long in the legs, you may have your knees way high, which is also not good. Some people have added length to the seat rails to solve this issue. It works, if your also long in the arms, too.

 

My only complaint is $2800 for an Ortho Recaro is a WEE bit pricy!

 

A cheap simple test is to fold up a t-shirt or hand towel into a small dense pillow and try that for the lower back. All of the commercial lower back support devices that I tried were either too large or too squishy.