What’s the worse job for back and neck pain; truck driving.
This may surprise many people who thought that jobs involving lifting or hard labour would be the worse.
The problems with truck driving, in particular long distance truck driving are a combination of the worse things for your back. The worst of all is prolonged sitting.
Studies show that sitting puts at least 50% more pressure onto the discs in your lower back then standing does.
This by itself is not a problem as the spine is magnificently designed to withstand these pressures and significantly more.
However, the problem comes from being stuck sitting for prolonged periods of time, without changing position. It is this constant increase in pressure, which causes the damage.
Discs, joints, and all the tissues in your back need regular movement to stay healthy and pain free.
Movement stimulates circulation, which is vital for the wellbeing of all of the body’s tissues.
Combining increased pressure with lack of movement is a deadly combination.
Add to this the heavy lifting usually required at the end of a long run when unloading, the very long hard hours, and the lack of time to exercise, and its little wonder that back pain is so common in truck drivers.
But you don’t even have to be driving a truck for these problems to exist.
Driving for even half and hour without movement or even sitting at a desk for half and hour without movement can gradually lead to problems and possibly pain.
- So move it or lose it
- Get out of your seat
- Get out of the car
- And regularly move your back
This in combination with regular exercise is the best way you can avoid back pain and you can avoid driving your back pain.
For more information, see your local Lifecare practitioner. Click here to find your closest Lifecare clinic.