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Driving Safer For Longer
Keeping Fit To Drive
Medical conditions and increasing age can affect your ability to drive safely. Stiff joints and arthritis can restrict everyday driving movements such as holding the steering wheel, changing gear or applying the handbrake. If in doubt about your fitness to drive, why not take our fitness assessment to see if you may need to get some advice.
Below are some exercises you can do at home, which may improve your physical mobility. Before beginning any exercise program, you must consult your doctor.
| Flexion: Curl chin to chest |  |
| Axial Extension: Tuck chin in; don’t tip head down |  |
| Rotation: Tuck chin in, turn head to look over right shoulder and then look over left shoulder. |  |
| Sidebending: Tilt head to right shoulder, then left |  |
| Hip Flexion: Sitting, lift right knee then left knee to chest. |  |
| Knee Extension: Sit with back against chair. Straighten right knee then left knee |  |
| Ankle Flexion: Sit with feet on floor. Raise right foot keeping toes on the floor then Keep heel on floor and raise toes and hold. Repeat with left foot |  |
Arms and Hands: Many exercises will help to improve your flexibility, strength and mobility, even simple things such as folding clothes can help.
Transferring Objects Exercise: Practice transferring various objects from one side of the table to the other. This will help with coordination and seeing things using your peripheral vision.
Cup Exercise: Gather 5 to 10 plastic cups and practice turning them upside down and right side up. Then practice stacking and unstacking them as quickly as possible. This exercise will help to improve your gross motor coordination and speed.
Your G.P can advise on a programme of light exercise as a way of combating joint deterioration and lack of flexibility. There are many local fitness clubs who offer classes specifically for senior citizens.
It has also been shown that mental activity and alertness can be maintained or even improved by such things as crosswords, chess and su doku.
There are also many driver accessories, which have been designed to improve the comfort of the driver and overcome medical conditions and disabilities. Contact Devon Drivers Centre for advice relating to adaptations and accessories.
- Driving Safer For Longer
- Eyesight and Hearing
- Road Fit Assessment
- Safe Driving Workshop
- The Use of Medicines and Drugs While Driving
- Practical Advice
- When is it Time to Give Up Driving?
- Travel Options