Take the Pain Out of Your Work Commute
Don’t let commuting to your job leave you too fatigued or in too much pain to work once you get there. Use these tips to make your work commute less painful.
If your arthritis is making the most difficult part of your job just getting to and from it, there are solutions that can ease your work commute. Try these tips to make it happen.
Take a walk. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 data, about 2.7% of American workers, or around 4 million people, reported walking to work. If you live close enough to your job to walk, doing so may sound daunting at first, but there are numerous benefits. It will allow you to eliminate the hassles (and pain) of getting in and out of the car, maneuvering stop-and-go traffic and searching for a parking space (and paying to park), plus it can allow you to start and end your day with exercise.
If you decide to try walking to work, plan your route on a weekend. Choose a route with minimal incline and smooth surfaces. Avoid uneven or hilly terrain to prevent additional strain on your joints. Wear supportive shoes (even if you must change shoes when you arrive at work) and use a cane or walking stick if needed for balance. And always have a back-up plan for days when the weather is bad or you just aren’t up for the walk.
Hail a ride. If you live in an area where it is expensive to own, drive and park a car, you may find that ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft are not only an extremely convenient way to get to work, but they can also be an economical choice — and they can drop you off right at the door, eliminating the need to park and walk.
Join or start a carpool. If you live near coworkers and share a similar work schedule, consider carpooling — the true ridesharing. Carpooling would give you a break from driving at least some days and reduce your carbon footprint as well. Carpooling often means employees take turns driving, but if you prefer not to drive, suggest an arrangement where you pay for gas and/or parking instead of taking a turn.
Plan ahead when using mass transit. If you live in or near a big city and your home and job are convenient to a bus, train or subway line, mass transit may be the most practical and economical option for your commute. But getting on and off buses or trains and pushing through crowds only to find yourself with nowhere to sit can leave you exhausted before you ever start your workday. If it’s possible to arrange flexible hours with your employer — a good idea if morning stiffness also causes challenges — plan your commute to avoid the busiest times. Check with your local mass transit system for accessible buses that offer low-floor access or accommodations for riders with limited mobility, and check the accessibility features of train and subway stations, including elevators and ramps.
Plan your strategy for accessing your chosen mode of transportation and do trial run once or twice on a nonwork day. Use apps to track bus and train schedules and real-time updates to minimize wait times or unnecessary trips. Once aboard, aim to sit in priority seating areas. If you do have to stand during your commute, bring a cane to provide stability and support.
Pick the right vehicle. If you are like 76% of American workers, you drive alone to work in a private vehicle. Although driving solo has its pitfalls, it also allows you to choose car features and modifications that make the commute more comfortable for you. To make driving easier in your current car, consider modifications and devices such as cushions with lumbar support to reduce strain on your back and hips, cushioned or heated steering wheel covers to make gripping less painful, aftermarket grab bars near the door for help entering and exiting, and foot pedal extenders if limited leg mobility or pain makes it difficult to reach the pedals comfortably. When purchasing a new car, look for features like ergonomic seats with lumbar support; heated and cooled seats; easy- and-wide opening doors; adjustable steering columns; voice-activated systems for control the radio, GPS or phone; cruise control; the lane-assist feature; reverse camera and auto adjusting mirrors; and self-parking systems that assist with parallel parking, minimizing or even eliminating the need to turn your body or neck to park. An occupational therapist can also help you determine any specific modifications that could be helpful to you.
Work from home. The easiest commute is the one from your bedroom to your home office or to a desk in the corner of your living room. As more businesses began allowing employees to work remotely during the pandemic, telecommuting has become a realistic option for many people with arthritis — at least on some days. Working remotely, if your employer and job allow it, eliminates the hassle of the commute, allows you to ease into your workday more slowly and enables you to work in the comfort of your home with easy access to any medications and special foods or devices needed for your arthritis.
Commuting to your job shouldn’t leave you too fatigued or in too much pain to work once you get there. With a little work, ingenuity and help from your health care team and your employer, you can find solutions that work for you.
Take a walk. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 data, about 2.7% of American workers, or around 4 million people, reported walking to work. If you live close enough to your job to walk, doing so may sound daunting at first, but there are numerous benefits. It will allow you to eliminate the hassles (and pain) of getting in and out of the car, maneuvering stop-and-go traffic and searching for a parking space (and paying to park), plus it can allow you to start and end your day with exercise.
If you decide to try walking to work, plan your route on a weekend. Choose a route with minimal incline and smooth surfaces. Avoid uneven or hilly terrain to prevent additional strain on your joints. Wear supportive shoes (even if you must change shoes when you arrive at work) and use a cane or walking stick if needed for balance. And always have a back-up plan for days when the weather is bad or you just aren’t up for the walk.
Hail a ride. If you live in an area where it is expensive to own, drive and park a car, you may find that ride-hailing services like Uber or Lyft are not only an extremely convenient way to get to work, but they can also be an economical choice — and they can drop you off right at the door, eliminating the need to park and walk.Join or start a carpool. If you live near coworkers and share a similar work schedule, consider carpooling — the true ridesharing. Carpooling would give you a break from driving at least some days and reduce your carbon footprint as well. Carpooling often means employees take turns driving, but if you prefer not to drive, suggest an arrangement where you pay for gas and/or parking instead of taking a turn.
Plan ahead when using mass transit. If you live in or near a big city and your home and job are convenient to a bus, train or subway line, mass transit may be the most practical and economical option for your commute. But getting on and off buses or trains and pushing through crowds only to find yourself with nowhere to sit can leave you exhausted before you ever start your workday. If it’s possible to arrange flexible hours with your employer — a good idea if morning stiffness also causes challenges — plan your commute to avoid the busiest times. Check with your local mass transit system for accessible buses that offer low-floor access or accommodations for riders with limited mobility, and check the accessibility features of train and subway stations, including elevators and ramps.
Plan your strategy for accessing your chosen mode of transportation and do trial run once or twice on a nonwork day. Use apps to track bus and train schedules and real-time updates to minimize wait times or unnecessary trips. Once aboard, aim to sit in priority seating areas. If you do have to stand during your commute, bring a cane to provide stability and support.
Pick the right vehicle. If you are like 76% of American workers, you drive alone to work in a private vehicle. Although driving solo has its pitfalls, it also allows you to choose car features and modifications that make the commute more comfortable for you. To make driving easier in your current car, consider modifications and devices such as cushions with lumbar support to reduce strain on your back and hips, cushioned or heated steering wheel covers to make gripping less painful, aftermarket grab bars near the door for help entering and exiting, and foot pedal extenders if limited leg mobility or pain makes it difficult to reach the pedals comfortably. When purchasing a new car, look for features like ergonomic seats with lumbar support; heated and cooled seats; easy- and-wide opening doors; adjustable steering columns; voice-activated systems for control the radio, GPS or phone; cruise control; the lane-assist feature; reverse camera and auto adjusting mirrors; and self-parking systems that assist with parallel parking, minimizing or even eliminating the need to turn your body or neck to park. An occupational therapist can also help you determine any specific modifications that could be helpful to you.
Work from home. The easiest commute is the one from your bedroom to your home office or to a desk in the corner of your living room. As more businesses began allowing employees to work remotely during the pandemic, telecommuting has become a realistic option for many people with arthritis — at least on some days. Working remotely, if your employer and job allow it, eliminates the hassle of the commute, allows you to ease into your workday more slowly and enables you to work in the comfort of your home with easy access to any medications and special foods or devices needed for your arthritis.
Commuting to your job shouldn’t leave you too fatigued or in too much pain to work once you get there. With a little work, ingenuity and help from your health care team and your employer, you can find solutions that work for you.
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