Back pain

another cause of back pain, is that gigantic truckers wallet in the back pocket, that also misaligns our backs. so i was told by my therapist years ago.

 

I never keep my Wallet in my pocket while driving.

I had similar issues went to the doc....one leg is shorter than the other. I keep an extra insole in one of my shoes since then.

 

Mine is due to bone loss. Diet has a issue with that if the body is unable to source the calcium to replace the bones every certain number of years. I also experienced certain specific on the job injuries that were part of trucking and of themselves disabling. But continued on a number of years until other body systems became non medically fit to pass a DOT exam.

I still have that truckers wallet believe it or not. Wore one since 15. I think my spine is locked into place that way so to speak. It has other problems besides that.

Anyhow. Nerves affected by the spine is not good, you need to do whatever it takes to preserve the nerves before the compression kills it and downstream kills the function of the limb or whatever it is controlled by it.

I take narcotics to fight the problems in the back, but it's not all that is taken. There is a huge tube and ball equipped lidocaine which really comes in handy on bad days. There is also muscle relaxers and anti nauesa medicine that is similar to those taken by chemo patients. It does not solve all my physical limitations though when I was active on the road in my time I was pretty much a bull. Strong and unstoppable. Fast forward about 20 years now... It's hard to say the same.

Regardless of the challenges medically, you cannot have bad morale or hate yourself. You will have a good attitude and you will enjoy life. Anything else or less than that will get you killed too early in life. I think about a truly bad day on I-30 in Arkansas not far from Caddo Valley, the old paystar 9800 tractor (I think it could have had another name but I cannot remember.) had a cab structural defect that was managed by the boss's shop with hundreds of rivets. The old interstate shook it loose enough to drop my cab floor (And me...) about two feet down onto the frame leaving my feet hanging between the spinning driveshaft and interstate below at 70+ The stab I took in the spine on impact wasnt welcome, it was not that BIG of a drop. But solid enough impact on the two frame rails. Ow.

As bad as that was, it was worse when I agreed to drive that monster again once they gave it back to me after three weeks in the shop. I made plans to quit before i actually went ahead and quit. One of the senior drivers had a much nicer airride pete day cab doing the same bulk I did for B&B Concrete out of Hope and Redfield... he QUIT before I did to make sure I inherited his tractor. That did not happen. So I made plans to quit myself. It's stupid. But it is what it is. That spine reminds me daily that quitting when I did was very good then.

They had rebuilt 30 since then with better pavement. But prior to that construction I know every cursed plate for all that way between LR and Hope down at the 31 mm where we picked up cement from railroad silo. Those plates had a big part in applying viberation forces on that old Iron tractor to my body which contributes to other problems which eventually became a big deal years later.

 

Yup, it's too late for you now, damage is done. It's not entirely the driving position, but the duties of a truck driver, as a hole, oops, I mean, as a WHOLE.( Freudian slip) going from sedentary, to unloading a load of truck tires ( or whatever) then nothing again for days possibly. I did local work, and everyday was a workout,( and I'm paying for that now) but OTR is a lot different. Back trouble is , in most cases, forever. I've never known anyone with back surgery that made it better. There's things you can do, no wallet, lumbar support, better driver's seat, but the bottom line is non strenuous exercise. And good shoes, not those St. Vinney's specials that kind of fit, but they were only $5 bucks.

 

i have a pair of Red Wings, kid you not, i bought them in the fall of 2005, and still have them, and have had them resoled twice now, may be getting them resoled again like in the spring time. Red Wings, you can buy nice cushy insoles, for me, that last about a year.

so yes, comfortable, durable shoes/work boots for the many LONG times of standing or walking.

and then WALKING to get some "low level" exercise, if not to lose some weight, but to take any strain from EXTRA weight on our backs.
but judging from what i see at the truck stop i go to (for my coffee/hot dogs) there just ain't too many drivers, talking many walks, unless they are walking to the snack shelves.>!!!!!!!....

 

My lower back gets sore from muy bike accident in 2013 when I fractured my L4.

 

ouch...you still ride?

 

Been trucking 38 years now. I had identical pain few years ago. Expected to hear it was my hip. Nope, it was my back, pain just exited at left buttock. Had 1 deteriorated disc and one bulged. Got them fused 2 years ago, 10' tall and bullet proof again

 

sadly, from what i have been told by my primary doctor and my closest relative, once the doctors start operating on your back, the more you will need in your immediate future. reason being, the other discs above and below the fused ones, are now under more stress to perform the actions our backs need.

only from my relatives situation, i was told, always be as careful as we can once the first back operation happens.

i believe her, she's already had 5 back operations/fusions, and she certainly ain't no trucker, but that of an office worker!