Back problems

By getting a job where I don't touch any freight lol

 

Adopt correct sitting posture, use lumbar back pillow, walk every day, exercise back "erector" muscles. If you have a big belly, lose weight. Sitting all day is a recipe for back problems. If you don't action actively work to avoid back problems you will have back pain. When my back is at it's worst I can hang from my west coast mirror bracket to stretch my back. Luckily I am short enough & light enough for that not to break my mirrors.

The exercises for back erector muscles are like the opposite for crunches. Think of an elastic band tied to your feet and your hands. You stretch the bands by leaning back over and over.

 

Try to make a habit of stopping every 3-4 hours and stretch. Take a walk around your truck 2 times. I wish I had done this in my beginning years. I suffer from horrible back problems. Also find a good doctor and a good chiropractor, not just someone who cracks things. As far a Chiropractors make sure they do full X-rays before starting treatment. My 3 visits a month and the stretching instructions given to me have made an amazing difference. One other thing that has helped me was loosing weight and making sure I walk around my truck every morning, afternoon and night.

 

Lock your seat.

Most seats have a small tab on the right center that flips up and down. When it's up, the seat will move back and forth. When down, the seat will not move back and forth.

Unlocked is fine for OTR. Locked is the best setting for drivers who do more than just sit in the seat all day.

I don't sit in the seat all day, and I lock my seat because it keeps my back from giving me problems. YMMV.

 

This.

I tweaked my back a few weeks ago. I figured it would fix itself like it had in the past, but after a week it hadn't gotten any better. (Getting old makes things heal up slower) Stopped in at the chiropractor's office 1 block from my house, and he had it fixed in 30 minutes.

 

I had back surgery in '14, and my neurologist said the sitting position is probably the worst for your back.
When you wake up, drink plenty of water. When you wake up, you should take about 15 minutes to stretch....especially the back.
Also, get some excercise...Walk for about 30 minutes.

You should see a noticeable improvement in not only how your back feels, but, also in how much better you feel overall.

 

I dont know how much experience you have,.. so dont take this the wrong way.

But I notice a lot of guys, when they first start out, they pump the air in the seat much taller than it really should be. They feel they need to see all the way over the hood and they hunch over the steering wheel while driving.

I see this as I pass people on the road, and I think to myself, that cant be good on the back.

I drive with my seat on the floor,.. no air. I slide it back so I have room for my legs and knees. I bought a $900 seat that is very comfortable. I lean the seatback back some so I can sit like I am at home watching TV. This is the most comfortable position for me. I can site like that for hours and not have back problems.

I recently turned 50 and do open deck work. Machinery and heavy equipment specifically. I am not exactly in the best of shape. But staying active and moving around helps. As they say,.. a body in motion..... That and make sure you get plenty of water and potassium. It keeps the muscles from getting stiff and cramping. Also,.. about 10 yrs ago I bought one of those tilting teeer boards that you hang upside down by your ankles. It stretches the spine and back muscles. I use it a few times a day when home and it really helped.

If none of that helps and you cant seem to keep your back from being in pain. Then maybe this is not the right career choice for you? No disrespect, But,.. ###### if I would do something that put me in pain every day.

Hurst

 

Don't put your wallet in your back pocket. Sitting on that all day is bad for your back.