I dunno bout y'all but while I'm here at my puter, I'm developing very powerful muscles that allow me to sit for extended periods of time without tiring.

HAHAHAHA! We're talking arthritis in the spine, pain down both legs and in both hips (chronis pain). Do you think it will work?

I cannot tell you if it'll work or not, that's between you & your back.

My ex-wife, ex-codriver had a bad back with a bit of artheritis, scoliosis & a case of whiplash (for awhile). She managed to drive fairly long hours without stopping. But, when she did stop it was hard for her to get off the stool & generally aimed for the cave.

Keep in mind that in her case she always considerd herself Ms. Betty Bigrigger & usually punished herself behind the wheel too long for no good reason.

The thrusting moments on the stool are different than most passenger vehicle's. Mostly, you're in an upright prone position. Your back is pretty much vertical with only a slight declination to the rear. The seats usually have a somewhat adjustable lower back support along with some adjustable lumbar support.

When you hit bumps, your spine takes it as a vertical compression & with a bending moment at your waist. The seat is air ride so it "gives" to some degree in the vertical plane.

The bottom seat is on slides. Springs keep the seat in a "centered" position between the front & rear slide stops. Going down the road creates a type of movement akin to being in the saddle where your body will gently slip forward &/or back for a few inches. As the seat rocks back & forth, your knees get a bit of a workout.

Most seats have a lever to stop this action if you so desire.

The front lip of the typical air ride seat is usually adjustable for your leg length. The front edge can be raised or lowered to support more or less of your leg where it leaves the seat pad.

The rear of the bottom seat is usually adjustable up or down to place your back in the "sweet spot" of the lower back support & back of the seat in general. This adjustment also "tips" your legs up or down a bit on their way to the floor/pedals.

With this bit of info you might be able to decide if your back/legs/hips
can take the punishment.

bc

I have a bad back (had surgery several years ago) and have no trouble with driving a truck. I make sure to stretch while I'm driving to keep the blood moving and will adjust the lumbar support so my spine is not in the same position for 10-11 hours at a time. I asked my doctor before starting school for my CDL and he said the air-ride seats relieve many of the back problems that drivers used to deal with. I've done long drives in my car, but 3-4 hours is about all I can do. Need to get out and walk around and it can be tough to stand straight after driving in my car. However, I don't have nearly the problem straightening up in my truck and I will often drive anywhere from 8-10 hours straight -- sometimes I will drive 11 straight (it's easy to do at night -- it's so peaceful, no traffic etc). I would rather take a long drive in my truck than in my car any day.

I have had several surgeries on my left leg, (clutch leg) from motorcycle accidents and a severe tractor trailer accident in 1977. My leg has been broken in 14 places and my knee was crushed. My left leg is one inch shorter than the right because of the injuries and has caused my hip joint to wear out and has caused lower back problems. I had back surgery in 1996.

So, to answer your question; I make it just fine. Determination and conditioning are key factors.

__________________
God's speed...

Tony

TRUCKING IS NOT A JOB - IT'S A DISEASE!

Yes it is hard work.

I agree with the determination etc. Just to get ready to work again in September/late oct, I've been lifting weights, walking every day and eating right. I was thinking I probably wouldn't push myself this hard if we were going directly to our own rig, rather than the one I'll be on and off at least 100X per day, but then again, I know myself well enough to know I'd still be pushing myself for my best again.

I believe illnesses and body damage has to be attacked with total determination and drive to feel better again. Another added benefit is while doing so helps keep away the feelings of depression that try to attack us when we are sick, injured etc. This has helped me get through chemo, a ruptured disc with ongoing spinal stenosis, and the last attack of the killer antibiotics. I just thank God he gives me the drive to keep getting back up again!

__________________
"Tude"

" A good attitude will get you through almost anything"

On my honeymoon I drove one of those newfangled fastback style Mustangs from here to Orlando, FL. That took 14 1/2 hours with 2 fuel stops. That was a pretty nice riding car.

But the one I rented to drive on the vacation I just got back from in Tennessee wasn't quite as comfortable. I was feeling the ride back, mostly in my right hip, for quite a while.

Different machines do different things for different people. It's all relative.

__________________
Z-Lady's devoted hubby.

I'm the same as most others, I hate to drive a long distance in a Car, Can never get my legs comfortable and after an hour or so Im squirming all over the seat. But in a truck its a different story. Ridding in an Air suspended cab, on and air suppended seat which you can move and set to just about any possition a 14 or 15 hour day is no problem at all. I have driven exclusivly Scania's in Europe for the last 12 years and have never had an issue with back ache or any thing.

In fact every thing is so light and easy even the air assisted clutch and the power sterring so light that my personal car felt heavy and awkward when I drove home at the end of a shift, as the clutch steering and brakes in my car were heavier to operate than the ones in the truck.

Driving or riding in a truck is alot different than from a regular personal vehicle. Our seats are higher so our feet are on the floor legs not so stretched out. This can be a good thing and a bad thing, more comfortable but after hours on the road legs and feet tend to swell. The driver seats are air ride and in alot of trucks so are the passenger seats. Our last truck both were, this one, only the drivers is..oh not so comfortable on some roads...
white dove

__________________
Lovin Life on the road with my babe.