One sure way for a person to get pain in the neck, a bent spine and spondylitis is to stuff your wallet in the hip pocket with credit cards, currency notes, folded pieces of paper, driving licence and coins. If you have made a habit out of this over the last few years, chances are that you are suffering from at least one of the problems mentioned above. The reason is quite simple. By making it a habit to sit on a heavy material, which is in your rear right hip pocket, you have changed the geometry of your rear end.

Nature made it well rounded and padded it decently to give you a comfortable sitting accessory. If that material is in your hip pocket at all times, you are sitting off-balance, which is unnatural.

Car seats today are really the last word in luxury. Lateral travel, height adjustment, lumber support, thigh support adjustments, all wrapped up in soft leather, and that hard stone-like item negates all these options to make you sit comfortably in the car. This leads to aches and pains.

In addition to the hours you spend in the car, in office or anywhere else, you are sitting lopsided.

The only remedy is to get rid of the object. Either get a wallet, to be carried in the inside breast pocket of your coat, or carry your essential documents in a briefcase. The point is you must sit straight and even.

Today’s cars have seat belts and airbags, which means your sitting correctly in the seat is very important. Sitting straight is essential. Sit in your car seat and bring your hands together in the namaste position. Time to pray and invoke divine intervention. "God ji, please look after me. I drive on Indian roads!"

If your fingers do not point to the steering column, or the centre of the steering wheel, you are sitting in a wrong position. Straighten your sitting position. This is important for your seat belt and airbags to be 100 per cent effective.

Does anyone remember the days when the sarkari driver of an Ambassador sat at 45 degrees to the steering wheel and clutched the steering wheel from behind? He did everything wrong.

Start up the car, fasten seat belts, check the lights display in your dashboard. Is the car ready to go? Look at your legs. If you see more of one leg, you are sitting incorrectly. Correct your posture. Bring the seat backup right. Check the headrest position. The factory setting may not suit your height. The importance of these things cannot be underplayed.

It is what the captain of an aircraft announces over the public address system as the aircraft comes into land. Sit correctly to avoid damage to the body. Remove all objects like pens, pencils, glasses from your breast pocket. The seat belt stretches tight across the chest; in case of a collision, it gets even tighter. It would break whatever is in your pocket. If it is a slim, sharp, pointed steel ball pen, it could do a lot of damage. Hopefully, you don't smoke a pipe, or have a cigarette in your mouth when the airbags come into action.

If you have carried out all the proper procedures in sitting upright, seat belt on, headrest in the right position, there is something else that can be a pain. A worn-out suspension will cause vibrations from the road, thumps and bumps into the cabin and lead to neck aches, shoulder tension and general fatigue. There is nothing like a smooth moving car. Tyres also play a very important role in smooth movement. Pay attention to their condition.

Placing your arms correctly is as important as the position of your legs. While sitting upright with your back against the seat, the arms should be almost, repeat almost, stretched out, with a slight bend in the elbow. Don't imitate Michael Schumacher with his arms straight out, gripping a small steering wheel.

The hands should be at 10'o clock- 2'o clock positions. This will ensure complete control on the steering wheel and thus the car. Too close or too far makes control difficult. It also builds up fatigue. A drive, anything over two to three hours, is considered a long drive for a city driver. Stop and take a break. It helps relax the muscles, which have been in a cramped state.

Journos, who spend hours in front of a computer, face the same problems. The pressure of traffic is replaced by the pressure of deadlines and anxiety of the boss looking over the shoulder.

In short, the heavy stuff in the hip pocket will continue to build up aches and pains no matter where you are sitting.

Happy motoring.