Almost all of us have some sort of commute to work every morning. Those of us that are lucky may only have a few minutes to drive, whereas my wife drives an hour and a half each way. At one point or another, everyone aches from sitting too long and feels compelled to get up and move around. But how can you move around if you're stuck in traffic on the highway?

Driving for long periods of time is one of the most aggravating activities for your spine, specifically your neck and low back. Most cars are designed with comfortable seats to make them more marketable to consumers. Unfortunately, these comfortable seats leave your spine in a compromised position and lower your tolerance to sitting for any length of time.

Anyone with bulging discs or arthritis is susceptible to feeling pain after sitting in a car for too long. Other disorders such as sciatica and a 'pinched nerve' in the neck are often made worse when sitting in a car with improper support.

Many cars are equipped with built in lumbar and cervical support systems that are intended to provide an optimal sitting posture for the person driving. While a few cars have adjustable support systems, most do not, and can end up doing more harm than good. It would be foolish to think that a non-adjustable lumbar support is going to fit a 200-pound man and a 130-pound woman the same way and in a therapeutic way.

Despite being locked in one place for a long period of time, there are several exercises you can do in your car to minimize the stress of driving. Here is a list of things you can do in your car to keep yourself in good commuting shape.

Shoulder blade squeezes. The neck will often become tight and uncomfortable when driving for extended periods of time. This is largely due to posture and positioning of the shoulder blades as you hold the wheel. To combat this feeling, squeeze your shoulder blades together tightly 15 times in a row.

Chin tucks. People that spend ample time on highways may hold their head in one position for up to a half hour. This can cause pain along with considerable stiffness. To fight this, draw your chin backwards 10 times (like you're trying to make a double chin). It will keep your neck loose as you drive.

Abdominal sets. Sitting softens the stomach and weakens the core. Simply tightening your stomach while sitting in place is enough to keep some tone in your abdominals. A little bit of tone goes a long way - it helps to stabilize the spine and keep it in a neutral posture, even when sitting.

Glut sets. Another thing that gets soft with a long commute is your backside. Squeezing your gluts and holding the squeeze tightly for five full seconds is a fabulous way to keep them firm and functional. Do this at least 15 times in a row, several times over the course of the commute.

Pelvic tilts. One of the most powerful exercises you can do to maintain back and neck health is a pelvic tilt. It's a fairly small motion, but it packs a powerful ability to reset your spine to neutral during a long drive. Start by rounding your low back so it is flattened into the seat. From this position, arch it so you completely take the curve away. This will give you a good arc of motion and build you some support strength. Repeat this 10 times.

Staying loose and avoiding the physical pains of commuting isn't that hard if you sneak in a few exercises several times during your drive.

Joe DiVincenzo is a physical therapist and clinical specialist in manual therapy. He works in the outpatient division of Beverly Hospital and writes "On the Mend" weekly. Questions may be submitted to Joe by e-mail: joedivincenzo@comcast.net.