Prevent back problems?

Discussion in 'Driver Health' started by Voltrucker, Jan 27, 2013.

  1. Voltrucker

    Voltrucker Medium Load Member

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    What's the best way to prevent back problems while being a truck driver?
     
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  3. peterd

    peterd Medium Load Member

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    St.Catharines ON
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    I stop every couple of hours and get out and walk around truck a couple of times and check tires,stretch,etc.Find it helps a lot.Don't get all stiff.
     
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  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Wear a back support belt. You see grocery warehouse workers & some lumpers wear them. I wore one when I lumped my own loads for the extra $$$. They're comfortable even when driving.
     
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  5. CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

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    Try to maintain good posture while driving. Avoid being a steering wheel hugger. Get all the exercise you can get and eat a good diet. Lifting little stuff is actually good for you. Lift with your legs and not with your back as much as you can.

    The worse jobs I've had were furniture loads that you have to tailgate. They are usually stacked to the ceiling and dropping an awkward recliner or heavy file cabinet is not always easy. I hated sleeper sofa's too. Those jobs are good ways to pull muscles. Think about that stuff when you hire in because they all pay the same. Work smarter and not harder.
     
  6. fairshake

    fairshake Road Train Member

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    Chickenville, BFE
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    Look into kettlebell swings with 2 hands, that is a great core body workout and will strengthen your back if you use good form, plus build some muscle and stamina. You could do 50-100 reps per day in less than 5 minutes.
     
  7. rachi

    rachi Road Train Member

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    All of the above won't help you if you hit a big dip in the road like i did. I was riding with the air seat too low and then it bottomed out when i hit this huge dip in the road, and my lower back has never been the same, constant pain 24/7. This happened 3 years ago.
     
  8. Voltrucker

    Voltrucker Medium Load Member

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    Sep 24, 2012
    West TN
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    So I guess the best thing to do is ride with plenty of air under me huh?
     
  9. CondoCruiser

    CondoCruiser The Legend

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    I had that happen in IA. I come off of 218 onto 34 west and not a mile down the road was a yellow sign "Caution Dip 50mph". 50 mph? It can't be too bad. I hit it about 54mph. It was about 8 inches deep and 15 feet long. It threw everything violently out of the cabinets including the TV. It about killed my dogs. Ever since then if I hit a bump the dogs look up. :) That dip was more like 10 mph. My back already hurt so it might of contributed to the way my back is today. All my time driving I never hit anything that compared to that dip. It was more like a sink hole.
     
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  10. aiwiron

    aiwiron Road Train Member

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    Sunny Tampa Florida
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    My back problems all began one spring day, I turned my back on a dispatcher. :biggrin_2559:

    All I felt was a sharp pain and heard some call out, CRACKER DOWN!
     
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  11. Oscar the KW

    Oscar the KW Going Tarpless

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    May 19, 2011
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    Nah, don't ride with any air in the seat, thats what I do, no back problems yet.
     
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