Freedom on Four Wheels
Originally published in Arthritis Today

By Christina DiMartino

Few things say "independent" like getting behind the wheel of your car and breezing down the highway. While you may think this independence comes at the price of comfort, don't buy that bus pass yet. Automakers have heard your call for help.

Remember your first car? Of course you do. How could you forget? Sure, it wasn't a gem - OK, it was a clunker - but it made you feel like you had the world in your hands. And despite its three bald tires, a cracked windshield and sporadic exhaust pipe firings, it usually got you where you needed to go. 

From the day you wrapped your 16-year-old "can't-wait-to-drive" hands around the cold steely key, the world opened before you like a giant explorer's map with no boundaries in sight. You went anywhere, any time. You were young. You were carefree. And thanks to your car, you were finally free. 

Ahhh ... freedom. Few things give you that feeling like having a car.

And few things can be more frightening than the threat of losing that freedom. For people with arthritis, that fear becomes increasingly real, as joint problems make normal driving tasks like opening a car door or turning the steering wheel a real pain in the neck ... and shoulder and hands and knees (and the list goes on).

You'd think carmakers were conspiring to make you miserable, or at least very frustrated. Why do they make those knobs so tiny? Why is that gearshift button so tight?

Things are looking up, though. Just when you thought you'd never find a comfortable ride and your days of cruising around town in your newest car may come to a sputtering halt, auto manufacturers are getting serious about answering your call for more legroom, easier entry, user-friendly control panels and more.

Thanks to your needs - and the millions of others with concerns like yours - car makers are now spending more time, energy and money on research and development of vehicle designs with the goal of keeping you behind the wheel longer while driving safer.

Now cars that make driving easier can be found in most every lot in the nation, a win-win situation for all. Manufacturers sell more cars, and you keep your self-reliance and the behind-the-wheel enjoyment you want -- and need.

We know what you're wondering. What will I sacrifice in terms of aesthetics for roominess, ease and accessibility? Not a whole lot. While making concessions, like forsaking that sports car of your dreams, may be in your best interest physically, your emotional health begs for a great-looking vehicle. It's human nature to be drawn to a car that reflects your personality and your tastes. Automakers hear you and they're making strides in creating designs that offer aesthetic, as well as ergonomic, benefits.