Old age is catching up

Maybe Conestoga...

 

Oh i got no idea. Was just offering up a tactic that i found works well. But lately I've replaced it with smacking my head on the bottom of the grab handle on my muffler shield. That's usually good for an hour of forgetting about my back pain. Side effect, you get to see a really cool light show.

 

Several things.

New seat. Sit it as close to vertical as comfortably possible. Dont dovthe gangsta lean. Your hip flexors are creating the back pain.

Look on YouTube on how to stretch out the hip flexors. If you dont learn how, this pain will follow you.

There are ways to work smarter...to lessen the wear and tear.


@Lepton1 will be interested in your post.

 

tell me about it. everyday I wake up wondering whats gonna hurt today LoL - couple weeks ago, had a knee hurting so bad could barely walk, heat pad and ibuprofen fixed it right up.

and another vote for tankers

 

This goes triple!!!

 

^^^ THIS ^^^

And not because he mentioned my handle.

When I got back into trucking five years ago I thought I would have to quit less than a year into it. My back and left leg hurt so bad it was a challenge to get out of the bottom bunk. I walked across the parking lot like an old man. It was painful climbing up to the driver's seat.

That was when I drove for Swift. The seats in their company trucks aren't comfortable. I finally invested in a 1" thick Magic Gel seat cushion and then modified it to fit my bony hindquarters, and that helped.

But as @TripleSix indicated the REAL help was learning how to set up properly. I now sit with my back straight up, close enough to the pedals to easily floor the clutch, with the steering wheel close so I can hang my arms. My seat is also tilted slightly forward, to make it easier to press that clutch to the floor without cutting off circulation in my left leg.

Now I drive my own truck, with a decent leather seat. Still set up the same, but no longer using the Magic Gel seat cushion.

The added benefit is it really improved my driving control, especially in big broadside winds and slick conditions. I can drive all day long in conditions like that and never get stiff and sore. I look forward to those challenges now.

I will be 62 in January. I flatbed to the oil field. I look forward to doing this at least another ten years.

 

Yep.... cut my teeth with tarps in the 80's lol. This is much nicer!

 

What do you consider old ? Age ? I’m 56 and when I was having issues, I just changed my diet. Cured all the problems.

 

Usually, the first culprit in back pain is the seating position. The hip flexors support you and they tighten up to the point to where the lower back muscles get stretched out and strained. Think of a shinsplint on the lower back.

I realized the hard way years ago when i would sit on the sleeper bed and lean against pillows and blankets to stay upright. Woke up the next morning in severe pain.

 

You wanna stay in trucking so I would reccomemd can or second option reefer.With tanks you have that hose that could weigh anywhere from 75 to 150 pounds depending what you haul.Then climbing up and down the ladder could take a toll on your back.