Tag: Truck Driver

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MOTHER TRUCKER YOGA DRIVER SPOTLIGHT – Idella Hansen

National truck driver appreciation week mother trucker yoga blog

Truck Driver Appreciation Week may have passed, but we still want to celebrate! And what better way than to highlight some of our road heroes. We interviewed drivers and asked them questions about their lives to help others see how amazing and hard trucking is.

It’s our truck drivers who keep our great country running strong. Many of these men and women go unnoticed, not because they aren’t important, but because what they do doesn’t live in a fancy building or doesn’t require a cap and gown.

These men and women are out on our roads, carrying all our essential and non-essential products we want and love day in and day out. And here at Mother Trucker Yoga, it’s not just trucking fitness that is important to us. It’s the men and women whom we serve.

idella hansen mother trucker yoga blog

Meet Idella Hansen!

People call Idella MaMA ChooChoo on the CB.

 

QUESTION 1: How long have you been driving?

Answer: 52 years

 

QUESTION 2: What do you love most about being a truck driver?

Answer: First off it’s not a job for me, it’s a way of life, and I love all of it from customer service to do the hardbacks.

Idella works for IBI Security Transport.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

IBI is a full-service armored transportation company, operating in all 48 Continental States of the USA, Canada, and Mexico. IBI is a privately held company based in Woodside New York. IBI has been in operation since 1966. IBI is a full-service security company, operating Nationwide and in Canada and Mexico.

In 2001 IBI acquired Securicor Valuables Transport, Inc., a high-value, secured, “over-the-road” transportation company. IBI operates this division as, IBI Secured Transport, Inc. This is a national and international operation, with terminals in Trenton, New Jersey, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

Recognition Well-Deserved!

Back in 2017 Idella Hansen was nominated and chosen as citizen driver of the year.

Known for her signature red cowboy boots, her willingness to help her fellow drivers, her community, and her fellow women, Idella Hansen leads by example. Idella’s ability and dedication have earned her the respect of her fellow drivers, and TA-Petro is proud to honor her as a 2017 Citizen Driver.

In 2013, TA-Petro launched the Citizen Driver Program to honor exceptional drivers who exhibit strong citizenship, community involvement, leadership, health and wellness, and safety. To date, 26 Citizen Driver Honorees have been named as the best of the best. Idella is one of five members of the 2017 class.

idella hansen cowboy boots mother trucker yoga blog

“Idella is a pioneer in our industry and is a great example of what the Citizen Driver Award was created to recognize. She exemplifies the qualities of the award by her words and deeds on a daily basis, and continues to be a shining example of safety, involvement, and passion within our industry,” said Rick Ash, 2015 Citizen Driver Award Recipient, St. Christopher Fund Board Member, Former Chairman Trucking Solutions Group, Chairman Onramp to Health.

 

idella hansen

 

QUESTION 3: Trucking is hard. Why do you keep on trucking?

Answer: Because it’s in my blood and it’s pays really great, I work for a super company and they keep telling me not yet don’t retire.

 

QUESTION 4: What do you want to say to new upcoming drivers in the industry?

The first year is the hardest. Be prepared to change your way of doing things.

QUESTION: What is your favorite truck stop?

Answer: Kenley95 North Carolina. I love the update and the facilities

 kenly95 truck stop

QUESTION 7: What would make trucking easier for you and other drivers?

ANSWER: That the rules and state regulations would be more uniform

 

QUESTION 8: What do you do, if anything, to try to stay healthy on the road?

ANSWER: Mother Trucker Yoga and Rolling Strong and St Christopher’s Trucker Relief Fund.

Idella had a final thought he wanted everyone to know.

We are the lifeblood of the Country and will be for many years to come, which helps us to do a good job. I will continue to truck until I drive it off the end of the world and beyond

 

What do you like most about the trucking industry?

Have a comment to share with Idella or our readers?

Please share it in the comments below!

 

Mother Trucker Yoga® wants to help 1 million drivers change lanes in their health and fitness by 2031.

To get involved with Mother Trucker Yoga’s mission and help drivers just like you incorporate driver fitness into their lives.  Contact us!

 

Read our other Driver Spotlights:

VW Lady Trucker https://www.store.mothertruckeryoga.com/2021/09/14/mother-trucker-driver-spotlight-vw-lady-trucker/

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Mother Trucker Yoga Driver Spotlight – Mark Iverson

Marc Iverson MOther Trucker Yoga Blog

National truck driver appreciation week mother trucker yoga blog

Truck Driver Appreciation Week may have passed, but we still want to celebrate! And what better way than to highlight some of our road heroes. We interviewed drivers and asked them questions about their lives to help others see how amazing and hard trucking is.

It’s our truck drivers who keep our great country running strong. Many of these men and women go unnoticed, not because they aren’t important, but because what they do doesn’t live in a fancy building or doesn’t require a cap and gown.

These men and women are out on our roads, carrying all our essential and non-essential products we want and love day in and day out. And here at Mother Trucker Yoga, it’s not just trucking fitness that is important to us. It’s the men and women whom we serve.

mother trucker yoga feature driver spotlight mark iversion blog

Meet Marc Iverson!

 

QUESTION 1: How long have you been driving?

Answer: 10 years

 

QUESTION 2: What do you love most about being a truck driver?

Answer: Free, my company, the view, and the adventures.

How awesome is that to hear, that Mark loves the company he works for! Even if you are alone all day for your job when in good company it can make all the difference. Mark drivers for the Canadian company Big Freight Systems and Kelsey Trail

 

DID YOU KNOW?

2,500 – Number of truck stops in the U.S., defined by the National Association of Truck Stop Operators as anywhere with at least one shower, 15 parking spaces, and diesel fuel for sale. 6,000 – Number of locations that sell diesel fuel, but don’t have other amenities. That’s a lot of truck stops. When it comes to truck driver fitness that is a lot of park lot to cover, let’s get those steps in!

 

Recognition Well-Deserved!

Mark has driven over 1 million miles! Way-to-go Mark!

1 million miles mother trucker yoga blog mark iverson

DID YOU KNOW?

If a driver averages 100,000 to 125,000 miles a year, it may take a driver from eight to 10 years to achieve a million miles.

 

QUESTION 3: Trucking is hard. Why do you keep on trucking?

Answer: Because it is rewarding and it is an honest day’s work. You feel like you have achieved something. My windscreen is my computer screen and I would much rather be driving on the road than sitting in an office at a desk.

 

QUESTION 4: What is your favorite truck stop?

Answer:  Pilot Flying J- I love the facilities and showers are great.

Pilot flying J

 

QUESTION 5: What do you want to say to new and upcoming drivers?

ANSWER: You will never look back. You are your own boss, you get to travel and serve country/towns and people. You are valued and are an essential driver. This is an excellent career.

 

QUESTION 6: What would make trucking easier for you and other drivers?

ANSWER: Automatic logs, healthier food (make sure you read our blog on healthy snacks to pack) on the road, and being more tike efficient.

 

QUESTION 7: What do you do, if anything, to try to stay healthy on the road?

ANSWER: Plan, stock up, try to avoid tempting truck stop food such as pizza and cinnamon buns! I make overnight oats, cereal etc.

Mark Iverson had a final thought he wanted everyone to know.

Love my job it is something I am good at and have had zero accidents in over a million miles.
Mark we are proud of you too!

 

 

 

What do you like most about the trucking industry?

Have a comment to share with Mark Iverson or our readers?

Please share it in the comments below!

 

Mother Trucker Yoga® wants to help 1 million drivers change lanes in their health and fitness by 2031.

To get involved with Mother Trucker Yoga’s mission and help drivers just like you incorporate driver fitness into their lives.  Contact us!

 

Read our other Driver Spotlights:

VW Lady Trucker https://www.store.mothertruckeryoga.com/2021/09/14/mother-trucker-driver-spotlight-vw-lady-trucker/

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5 Stress-Soothing Foods for Truck Drivers

5 Stress Soothing Foods for Truck Drivers Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

Stress is everywhere, and it’s the wrong approach when you try to eliminate all the stress in your life. Because having stress in your life is a good thing. Yes, there is good stress. But stress in any form is not dealt with and utilized in a healthy way. That is when we see our health affected and our lives negatively affected. As a truck driver finding healthy foods to eat can not only be difficult, it in and of itself can be stressful. But when you know what to look for it can be easier for you to de-stress while on the road. 

Five foods to your diet to help you soothe stress and live a happy and healthy life as a driver. 

Stress-soothing foods that are easy to find and can be travel-friendly when needed!

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are a fantastic way to improve your health and happiness while simultaneously soothing stress. 

These leafy greens include: 

  • Spinach
  • Chard
  • Kale

These leafy green veggies offer your body essential minerals like magnesium, which may bring feelings of calm and help with aching muscles. Not to mention are high in fiber which can help you with digestion and elimination because no one likes to be constipated. 

Almonds

This yummy nut is a perfect travel food and easy to store, making it great for truck drivers and travelers. Almonds are full of B vitamins, and when eaten as a part of a healthy diet, they may help you stay afloat during stressful times. Try soaking almonds in a jar of water for 24 hours, then rinsing them to help you unlock their total nutritional value. Then dehydrate them for an even crispier crunch. 

Dark Chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolate, and who isn’t looking for a reason to take a nibble? Dark chocolate is not only delicious. It is packed full of antioxidants, which is just what your body ordered when trying to combat stress day in and day out. Keep a close eye on your ingredients when buying dark chocolate, as many brands have junk ingredients mixed in. But a piece a day will surely help keep stress at bay. 

foods that sooth stress mother trucker yoga blog

Oranges  

Another great travel food, oranges are not only delicious but are high in Vitamin C, which will help your body lower stress when eaten as a part of your regular diet. Oranges come in all sizes from Mandarin to Clementines to Navel Oranges, and you can even step outside the orange family and give a grapefruit a try. But beware, drinking orange juice, although it has high Vitamin C levels, drinking your orange juice can be higher in sugar, and research has shown that eating your oranges is better for your body than drinking them. 

Complex Carbs

Now don’t get scared. The media has done a great job of scaring most people into thinking that you should run for the hills when you hear the word carb. But every cell in your body is made up of lipids (fats), amino acids (protein), and yes carbohydrates. It would be best if you had these to operate optimally for your cells, and those cells include your brain cells. But remember, everything in moderation! When you eat complex carbs, you give your body much-needed glucose and helps your brain produce serotonin to help you function and keep depression at bay.

Some Complex Carbohydrates include:

  • Starchy Vegetables 
  • Beans 
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Quinoa 

Food is fuel, and food is medicine. Let’s change how we look at the food to change how we function in life. Stress may not be avoided, and you don’t need it to be when you fuel your body with the right foods. When you couple a variety of foods with living an active lifestyle (even as a truck driver), this can be a game-changer when dealing with stress on the road. 

5 Minutes to Fit Program Mother Trucker Yoga

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8 Aspects of a Successful Driver Wellness Program

Driver Wellness Program Mother Trucker Yoga Blog title

When you have a trucking company taking care of your drivers, running your company successfully is necessary. Without healthy drivers, the health of your company will suffer. As a trucking fitness company, it is critical to focus on more than just exercise when improving driver health. When you only focus on one, your health will never get to where you want it to be, which means your company’s health won’t either.

8 Aspects of a Successful Driver Wellness Program:

Emotional and Mental Wellness

Your emotional and mental wellness are the heartbeat of every other aspect of health in your life. If you have been focusing solely on nutrition or solely on fitness and haven’t gotten the results you wanted, this might be why. A successful corporate wellness program needs to address the driver’s current state of being. Discuss strategies for drivers to see life more positively and manage the stresses of the job in healthy, safe ways. With suicide a growing concern in the trucking industry, this must be addressed. Truck drivers are 5th on the list of highest risk for work-related suicide. The trucking industry has been classified as one of the highest-risk occupations in the United States. Does your program focus on this aspect of driver health?

Driver Wellness Program Mother Trucker Yoga Blog 1

Environmental Wellness

What can a driver possibly do to improve their environmental happiness and well-being? The answer, a lot. Ensuring your program teaches drivers techniques, strategies, and practical lifestyle upgrades they can do to their truck and daily routine can positively impact how they see themselves, their job, and the obstacles that come their way. And when a driver focuses some time on improving their environment when they are done driving for the day, their truck encourages them to make healthier choices. Teaching drivers the 30-second rule can help them focus on the little thing that they can do quickly that will have a lasting effect on their mental and emotional health.

The 30-Second Rule

Sarah Felton of Messies Anonymous created the 30-second rule that goes something like this—if a job takes around 30 seconds or less, do it immediately. This applies to putting away your shoes, picking up garbage off the truck floor, and putting away loose items immediately instead of rushing to do it when trying to roll out for the day. That small effort will have a large impact on your driver’s wellness.

Financial Wellness

It seems odd to discuss when talking about health. Oftentimes we don’t realize how much we are spending on meaningless items or even food until we stop, slow down and do the math. But this can be as simple as showing drivers the cost savings of cooking on the truck or preparing even just a few travel-friendly food times for their trip. Or even showing them how easy it is to build a healthy meal at the truck stop for the same or less to what they currently spend every day. And once we show them the savings there, next is the pile of medications and higher insurance rates they are paying for out of their paychecks. And that The “ah-ha” moment can’t come until we slow down and not just tell drivers these things, but show them, guide them and support them through these changes. And when drivers see that these implementations are not difficult to do and don’t take much time, they will begin to see the cost-benefit of trying to live a healthier life over the road.

Intellectual Wellness

Providing your drivers opportunities to learn and expand their knowledge is a brilliant way to lead them down a path of self-care, setting goals, and aspiring to live the best life possible as a driver. This doesn’t mean telling them to go back to college to get a different job. This means giving them opportunities to learn and grow. There is a difference between telling someone to do something and showing and explaining how to do something and why. Ensure the program you provide gives your drivers opportunities to expand themselves beyond their current life circumstances. This can be a book club, a weekly chat, monthly health webinars, lifestyle challenges, and guest speakers that directly link to your driver’s current situation and goals.

Driver Wellness Program Mother Trucker Yoga Blog 2

Occupational Wellness

Occupational wellness means that you provide your drivers with a sense of work-life balance. Show them and give them opportunities to select strategies and apply new ways of making life easier as drivers. Whether they are a day cab driver, an over-the-road driver, or a driving truck but not a semi, this is still a necessary aspect of driver wellness. This can be as simple as providing drivers with a safety kit or simple amenities that can help improve their day-to-day life. What would make their life easier? Is that something you can play a role in providing? Oftentimes providing the right health and safety programming can be the olive branch drivers are looking for that helps give them the work-life balance they are looking for.

Physical Wellness

This is probably the most obvious of the eight, but just as important. With 86% of drivers obese and 34% of truckers have at least one sign of a severe medical condition that has been previously linked to poor driving performance, the need for a physical fitness upgrade is now more than every critical need in a corporate wellness program for drivers. When setting up a wellness program, make sure the physical fitness side provides more than just exercises. There is more to physical wellness and fitness than doing push-ups, jumping jacks, and even yoga. A well-run program will assess all aspects of physical health, not just exercise, and break it down in a way that makes sense to a driver’s lifestyle and needs. It provides a breakdown and how-to for drivers to re-learn lifestyle movements and skills to help them continue to do their job for years to come.

stiff mother trucker pain relief cream

Social Wellness

What type of community do you offer your drivers? Driving a truck is a lonely profession, and things like depression, anxiety, suicide, and addiction are common among drivers for a good reason. When your corporate wellness program for your drivers provides an aspect of community, this can make all the difference. And yes, drivers use things like social media to communicate regularly. However, when groups and sites are unmonitored, a few bad seeds can take a group in the wrong direction. When the provided social wellness is monitored, it can allow for a more positive outcome. It’s not just about offering community, and it’s about offering a safe community where drivers don’t feel intimidated or embarrassed for taking care of their health.

Spiritual Wellness

This is not about religion but more so about guiding your employees towards finding purpose in their life. Engaging in practices that promote relaxation, happiness and encourage them to be a part of something bigger than themselves. When we isolate ourselves from the world, be it by choice or not, we can feel disconnected. I like to think of it as giving drivers something to chew on. When we have something to chew on and reflect on while driving, it can create new conversations, new ideas, and new ways of thinking and living.

Final Thoughts on Your Driver Wellness Program

Whether you incorporate a few of these or all of them, remember this; there is more to driver wellness than a fitness app. Your drivers carry heavy loads, not just behind their trucks but on their shoulders every day.

If you’d like to learn more about how Mother Trucker Yoga can help support your drivers and set up a driver wellness program for your company. Learn more about our trucking fitness company and driver corporate wellness programs HERE

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How To Move More When You Sit All Day!

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When you spend time at a desk or behind the wheel of a truck all day, it gets much harder for you to want to move and exercise. Sitting all day can be a pain in the back (literally), however, as the pressure on your backbone and bottom can cause pain in the legs and cause you to slump. Sitting for long periods of time can also lead to long-term health problems, including anxiety, depression, diabetes, and weight gain.

how to move more when you sit all day mother trucker yoga blog

When you increase your daily movement, you can reduce the risks of any of the issues that long-term sitting can cause. A sedentary lifestyle is actually pretty hard to maintain because your body wants to move. Perhaps on your down days, you can start bulking up at the gym – and you can learn all about that here. When it’s time to be at home again, you can start adding in some more movement. Increasing your daily movement may be tough at first, but with these strategies, you can start getting moving! Incorporating trucking fitness into your day isn’t difficult when you break it down.

5 Ways to Increase Daily Movement:

Go for a walk.

Whether you are at a desk or not, you can get up and move around. Walk around the office, go out for lunch and walk the block a couple of times. If you’re a trucker, you can get out at rest stops and go for a walk to stretch your legs, too. Even if you are on long drives, you can schedule a walk for 20 minutes at a time each time you stop for something.

Stretch your body.

For each time you stop on your route, stretch your arms and legs. You need to make stretching a habit so that you build it into your routine every single day. A stretch doesn’t have to be a full yoga routine, but you do have to do what you can to make your body feel supple. 

Sit up straight.

When you are sitting for long periods, you need to train your body to remain upright. Slouching your shoulders and hunching over is awful for your spinal health, so make sure that you are sitting up straight. Putting some time into learning how to sit up can make a huge difference to your ability to move well and it stops you from being so stiff!

Move while you watch TV.

When your show is on, move your body. Run-on the spot, do some jumping jacks, and even do some strengthening exercises and stretches. All of these things are so beneficial for the body and it’s a good way to relax before bed. 

Make your movement consistent.

Park your truck or car far away from your destination and walk more. Use the stairs and not an elevator. Get off public transport early and walk the rest of the way. There are so many ways that you can be consistent with your movement and add it into your day, even when you are spending most of it sitting down or still.

 

Moving more has to be a part of your day – make it so!

Are you or your trucking company looking to take their truck driver fitness and truck driver wellness up a notch? Let Mother Trucker Yoga be your trucking fitness company and show you how with small simple changes you can feel better wherever you are.

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Trucker’s Shoulder: 3 Healing & Strengthening Tips

Trucker's Shoulder: 3 Healing & Strengthening Tips Mother Trucker Yoga BLog

Any given trucker will feel strain in their hands, back, and knees after a long week of driving. Some of you may even feel strain in your shoulder, particularly if you’re driving through a beautiful but challenging winding mountainous road. The rounded socket fits the humerus, and each shoulder has four different muscles that encapsulate it. Let’s see how we can make each muscle loose and strong so our shoulders don’t make us squint in pain when we’re making really tight turns.

The rotator cuff

 

For most of the injuries and pains you hear about the shoulder joint, refer to the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff tendon lays along the top of the shoulder and folds down over the shoulder joint. It is responsible for elevating our arm outward, upward and it also stabilizes the shoulder during twisting or rotating movement. Here are some exercises you can do to strengthen it.

 

  • A doorway stretch is great for several reasons. You can moderate how much rotation and force goes through the rotator cuff, it’s easy to do standing or kneeling, and it doesn’t require any equipment.
  • High-low rows. Hold your arms out in front of you like you’re holding two milk jugs. Then slowly bring your fists by either side of your ribs. Do about 10 reps for 3-4 sets. Take your time.
  • Pulling the cord. With a jump rope or tension band, stand on it and make the motion of pulling a chainsaw or lawnmower cord. Rotate with the movement by opening up your outer hip.

 

Front deltoid

 

The front deltoid is the smallest of the shoulder muscles. It’s used for raising objects directly in front of us. As truckers, your arms are extended over the wheel for long periods of time, and you are lifting objects up and over the rear loading bay. If you feel strain in your deltoid, here is what you can do.

 

  • Standing/sitting toe touch stretch. It’s fundamental, easy to do. Sit or stand and without bending your back, try to touch your toes. This stretches the front deltoid, and it feels great. If you cannot do this, bend your knees and keep your weight more forward if you are standing. And if you are sitting, bend your knees and prop your knees with a pillow. 

Trucker's Shoulder: 3 Healing & Strengthening Tips MTY BLog

  • Cross-arm stretch. Move your arm at a 90-degree angle over your chest, and using your opposite arm, pull it over the chest while preventing your back from rotating in its direction.

Trucker's Shoulder: 3 Healing & Strengthening Tips MTY 2

Want to know more about this great shoulder stretch? Check out our video that will walk you through the importance of stretching your shoulders and another version of the stretch you can try out too!

  • Angle stretch. With your arms behind your back, clasp both hands and push your shoulders as far back as possible. This is an intense stretch, so take your time. And if you are not able to clasp your hands behind your back, use a belt or even your Good-N-Tight to help you create the stretch. 

Trucker's Shoulder: 3 Healing & Strengthening Tips MTY 3

Further care

 

If your shoulders do still hurt and you need further care, contact in-home physical therapy services to give you Hospice Care. They help people of many ages deal with chronic pains and rehabilitation. They arrive at your home to give the care, so that saves you time, gas money, and hassle. They’ll bring all the relevant equipment you’ll need and run you through the exercises step by step. It’s a great way to have a helping hand, getting you back on the road to recovery.

 

The shoulder joint is amazing, and without it, you could not be the awesome truckers you all are. So take care of the muscles and tendons by doing some of these exercises and stretches. 

Let us know here at Mother Trucker Yoga what you think in the comments below.

And don’t forget when you are in pain after you do some stretching to lather on some STIFF Mother Trucker pain relief cream to help your muscles heal fast!

STIFF Mother Trucker banner

 

 

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Plantar Fasciitis and It’s Relief Options

Plantar Fasciitis and It's Relief Options Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is a cause of heel pain, often found in adults over the age of 40. However, if you sit for long periods or are on your feet all day or engage in activities like running, you may find yourself in a painful situation. 

It is a common cause of heel pain that can turn into a chronic condition if ignored. But this tightness can also be tied to and create calf tightness, knee pain, even hamstring tightness because everything is connected. 

Plantar Fasciitis can come and go but can also shift from foot pain and tightness to Achilles tendon or caf tightness and leave you thinking these are different conditions when, in fact, they are all connected- literally connected. Those issues are all connected, like one big catsuit. 

Plantar Fasciitis can affect your way of walking and cause injury to certain parts of your body like knees, legs, hips, or back. Most people try to treat plantar fasciitis with shoe inserts, but that is not a treatment that is only masking the pain. 

The plantar fascia is a thick, netlike ligament that connects your heel bone to the front of the foot. It supports the arch of your foot and absorbs the shock when you walk. Too much pressure on this ligament can cause the fascia to tear. These tiny tears inflame the ligament. As a result, you experience heel pain while walking or standing.

Plantar Fasciitis Causes

  • Running
  • Being on one’s feet for long periods
  • Wearing ill-fitting shoes
  • Poor muscular in your feet
  • Wearing high heels
  • Imbalances in the feet (excessive pronation or supination)
  • Being overweight
  • Having tight hips
  • Having tight calves
  • Wearing shoes for long periods
  • Not walking enough

Plantar Fasciitis is a common problem experienced by runners. Those with jobs that revolve around being on their feet often have a higher risk of developing plantar fasciitis. You can develop plantar fasciitis through high-impact activities or sports that involve a lot of walking, running, or jumping. However, on the flip side, if you find yourself sitting more than you should, this can also cause tightness in the arches, calves, and hamstrings, which can also bring about these types of issues. 

Overweight or obese individuals are at a greater risk of developing this problem due to the increased pressure on their plantar fascia ligaments. This is especially true if the weight gain is sudden. Pregnant women often suffer from this problem in their late pregnancy due to the increased weight and stress on their arches. And even after giving birth or after losing weight, you can still find yourself suffering from foot pain if not cared for properly.

Plantar Fasciitis Symptoms

Plantar Fasciitis typically causes pain at the bottom of your heel or the bottom mid-foot area. The pain is usually worse when you take your first few steps in the morning or when you’ve been sitting or standing for long periods. People with plantar fascia don’t usually experience the pain during the activity but after it. After working with thousands of people over the last 17 years, I have found that many with plantar fasciitis also have chronically tight Achilles tendons and calves. So if your foot pain comes and goes, ask yourself where it hurt when your feet don’t? Remember, it’s all connected!

Plantar Fasciitis Relief Options

Stretching and strengthening exercises can help you relieve symptoms. Try stretching exercises for plantar fascia, calves, and Achilles tendons. 

 Like the Functional Calf Stretch to help stretch the tendon and bring more mobility to the calf, ankle, and foot. 

Functional Calf Stretch:

  1. Stand tall 
  2. Take a casual step back 
  3. Point both feet forward and keep your feet hips distance or wider
  4. Square your hips forward and bend your front knee over its ankle
  5. Exhale, bend your back knee as far as you can without lifting the heel
  6.  Inhale, straighten the back leg
  7. Repeat this process ten times on each side
  8. Watch the back knee and ankle and keep them from falling inward

Mother Trucker Yoga Functional Calf Stretch Blog Plantar Fasciitis 1

Mother Trucker Yoga Functional Calf Stretch Blog Plantar Fasciitis 2

That fascial tendon has become much like plastic, and so in the beginning, it may feel more uncomfortable than the latter. So consider icing afterward or stretching every other day until that plastic softens to be more elastic. 

Strengthening exercises for your lower legs and foot muscles. It is essential to break from certain high-impact activities involving running or jumping to give proper time for the plantar fascia to heal.

When a part of your body is weak, it is not the same as that same part being tight, and the two often get confused as one. When it comes to the plantar tendon, in my experience, it is often both. We walk around in casts all day (aka shoes), and so the muscles in our feet get lazy, then we walk barefoot and bring pain and think it’s that we are barefoot that is causing the problem, but it’s that we aren’t using the muscles in our feet enough and wearing shoes too often. Now a podiatrist that sells shoe inserts will probably tell you differently. But think about any inserts as temporary; you must stretch your feet and calves and build up strength. You can’t do that when you are sitting all day with shoes on. 

8 Ways to Soothe and Remedy Foot Pain

1.Take off your shoes. Yes, I know everyone else says to keep them on, but you haven’t allowed your feet to work in the way they are designed to. Ever met someone from a third-world country who has plantar fasciitis? Nope. Why? Because they walk barefoot, use their feet, and don’t cram their feet into ill-fitting shoes.

2. Drink more water. 

When our body is dehydrated, our fascia becomes sticky and restricted. And that 100% will lead to physical pain, tightness, and even cramping. You want to get a minimum of half your body weight in ounces, my friend. But today, start with one more bottle than yesterday.

3. Learn how to stand on your feet properly. 

Your feet are aching for you to listen to them. Posture starts at your feet. 

4. Stretch Your Feet.

Try sneaking in a little stretching each day. This can be Functional Calf Stretch like I suggested above or one of the steps of your truck or even in your sleeper (see our Mother Trucker Yoga membership site for videos) 

5. Try rolling. 

Some ideas: Mayo Fascia Release (rolling), invest in a mini massage ball or roller stick and start moving your feet and hips. For more ideas, you can check out this post on 4 Foam Rolling Hotspot for Fascia Release.

Foot Massage Ball Mother Trucker Yoga Plantar Fasciitis Blog

No matter what, plantar fasciitis is not a death sentence, and you most definitely do not have to live with it the rest of your life. But it would help if you started making small, simple changes to get the relief you are looking for. 

STIFF Mother Trucker Marc Springer

 

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A Truck Driver Must: Steering Wheel Hand Therapy

A Truck Driver Must: Steering Wheel Hand Therapy Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Post

A Truck Driver Must: Steering Wheel Hand Therapy

Truck drivers are gripping and clenching all day long. This can cause many issues that drivers may not realize come from doing what seems to be nothing… Gripping the steering wheel.
Hours a day, your hands are left in a clenching (flexion) position, day after day. This causes the fascia to create pathways, making it hard to do other things with your hands when you need them most!
“Having a weak grip can be an indication of many things, including arthritis, a pinched nerve, or a nerve injury, among other conditions,” says DeLuca. “Assessing grip strength, along with the patient’s medical history and other presenting symptoms, can tell us a great deal about the person’s overall health.”
There are many reasons one’s handgrip strength could be declining aside from the long hours gripping the steering wheel day after day, year after year as a truck driver.

Possible Causes for Grip Strength Issues:

  • Weakness in the hands and forearms
  • A pinched nerve (in the upper back, shoulder, or arm)
  • Arthritis
  • Nerve damage
  • Carpal Tunnel
  • Heart Problems
  • Fascial restriction/scar tissue
Self.com published an article that noted a study commenting on the following:
“Grip strength—or lack thereof—can actually have long-term health implications, too.

Research shows that grip strength is a good predictor of overall strength, which serves as a good predictor for overall health, including cardiovascular disease risk. In a large-scale study published in the journal The Lancet, researchers measured the handgrip strength of nearly 140,000 people across 17 countries and then followed subjects for approximately four years. The study findings revealed that lack of grip strength is a stronger predictor for death from any cause, including cardiovascular disease, than systolic blood pressure (the pressure in your arteries when your heart contracts).”

For drivers, this can be a great way to gauge one’s health and, more importantly, decide to do something about it sooner than later.

 

The good news there are many things you can do to improve your grip strength and many things a driver, even living over the road, can do to improve your overall health, wellness, and fitness.

Exercises Truck Drivers Can Do To Improve Grip Strength:

  1. Steering Wheel Hand Stretch

Pro Tip: Double down. While you are driving, use the wheel to stretch your hands REGULARLY! This is a great exercise to do (safely) while driving to help break up those moments of strain and boredom.
Steering Wheel Hand Therapy Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Hand Stretch
  • Holding the steering wheel safely, use one hand and press the thumb down again the wheel
  • Keep your wrist straight
  • Extend your fingers long
  • Place your thumb on the wheel & pull down
  • Repeat this with each finger individually and then with all four fingers together
  • Hold each one for 5 to 10 counts or unit the stretching subsides
  • You do not need to overdo this; make sure what you do is breathable
  • Repeat the opposite hand
  • Repeat 1-3 times a day
Do you love this move? There are more stretches you can do for your hands and wrists on our other blog post, 3 Stretches to Do to Improve Hand Mobility While Driving.
✋ Hands….they are quite important ❤️?

2. Scapulae Push-Up

Steering Wheel Hand Therapy Blog Post Mother Trucker Yoga Scapulae Pushup
The shoulder girdle is often forgotten about when it comes to arm, elbow, and hand issues. But it can be a big factor when trying to rehab issues in those areas. The Scapulae Push-Up is my go-to for everyone BEFORE they want to embark on doing Push-Ups, as most people do them incorrectly and are leading themselves down a roadway of future pain, injury, and wondering where this all came from. The Scapulae Push-Up strengthens and mobilizes the muscles on the front of the shoulder blade and around the shoulder girdle to help you hold a strong Plank, help you get up from your Push-Up, and give you relief in your driving life from a thing like a shoulder and a neck pain, or arm and wrist pain. This move is great for steering wheel hand therapy.
  • Come to a Plank position on your truck step or the ground
  • Turn the folds of the elbows forward and draw your shoulders back
  • Tip your belt line up and into your abdomen for more core support
  • Without bending your elbows, pinch your shoulder blades together behind you
  • Then broaden them without hunching your back
  • Continue to do this 5-15 times in a row.
  • Do not sag the head or belly, and this moving is only 1-3 inches (not big)

3. Strength Building Pinch Grip

Steering Wheel Hand Therapy Pinch Grip Mother Trucker yoga Blog Post
Building strength is crucial to help aid the decline of grip-related issues. Throughout the day, find ways to strengthen your hands by pinch grip lifting tools or heavier objects to challenge the muscles of the hands. This can be with any object or with a weight, kettlebell, or weight training specific tool. Don’t overthink this. A little goes a long way. And every bit counts. This is one move to rescue your hands and give you a great session of steering wheel hand therapy.
  • Hold a weight, kettlebell, or heavy object between your pointer finger and thumb.
  • Slowly and mindfully lift the object off the ground
  • Work to hold it for up to 30 seconds
  • Repeat this 1-3 times a day to continue to improve pinch grip strength

4. Forearm Curls

Steering Wheel Hand Therapy Forearm Curls Mother Trucker Yoga blog post
When the forearm is weak, this can cause pain and grip issues in the hand and issues in the shoulder. This is as simple as using a weight or weighted object and doing wrist curls one to three times a day to build up the lost strength and tone in the forearm.
  • Hold the weight in your hand.
  • Bring your elbow to 90 degrees.
  • Drop the hand to extend the wrist as far as you can
  • Next, curl the weight up and bring your knuckles into your forearm as close as you can
  • Repeat this 10-30 times
  • Then hold the weight verticle and your hand sideways
  • Repeat the same process, but this time moving right to left like a gate closing and opening
  • Repeat this same process on the opposite side.

 

By taking the initiative to do something about things like this, you can lengthen your career, and more importantly find relief to do your job without nagging issues like this.

Attention Trucking Companies

Trucking companies must find this a necessity to help take care of their drivers. More than 80% of work-related injuries are repetitive injuries, which means it’s what the employee is doing day in and day out. Drivers need relief, and that relief can be something the trucking companies these men and women work for can give them.

Does your trucking company offer driver fitness and wellness programming and seminars for you and your fellow driver? If not or you would like to see them upgrade what they offer. Reach out to us here at Mother Trucker Yoga. Here at Mother Trucker Yoga, we leave the trucking to the trucking companies and drivers, and that way with nearly 20 years of experience working with people just like you, with real jobs, real ailments, and real pain, you can leave the health, fitness, and healing to us! CLICK HERE TO find more out about our corporate programming!

STIFF Mother Trucker Wrist Pain Graphic MOTHER TRUCKER YOGA BLOG
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2 Special Techniques Where Healing Actually Works

2 Special Techniques Where Healing Actually Works Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

2 Special Techniques Where Healing Actually Works

There are many ways you can recover after a hard workout. But there are some that are better than the rest. You are not the only one who may be wondering what these two ways are. And you could ask, why only two? Well, these techniques are special in the form of proven results. These have been taken from hundreds or thousands of people who have experienced these two and they are in general agreement that they have healed quicker. Healing is not the same as relaxing or even repairing. Healing is when your body gets stronger than before, not just back up to where it was. We commonly misuse the term, but the healing process specifically has a phase where the tears, rips, and muscle soreness is fixed and made tougher.

 

Ice and pressure

 

Many people don’t like to use heat or ice after a workout because it can feel really intense. Your body has only just finished a hard workout, your blood is pumping and you don’t need or want anything that will interfere with that. However, ice and pressure are both needed if you want to recover fast. And this type of healing actually works. The good part is, it only needs to last a few minutes.

 

You can use pressure wraps or just use a belt to tie the ice pack onto yourself. What you should do is find somewhere to lie back and relax. The ice is going to be intense and the pressure is going to make your body feel stiff around the area. You can do this in bed actually, it just solves the issue of having a frozen arm or leg, as you can tuck yourself under the covers when you’re done. 

 

2 Special Techniques Where Healing Actually Works- Mother Trucker Yoga Blog Post

 

Joint pain

 

Not many people know what a Chiropractor actually does. Take for example this service, Dr. Evan and Dr. Callan both received their doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University. But what does that mean? They use the most specific, scientific chiropractic techniques in the world. So the way they work is backed up by science. They heal joint pain above all else, but you never know, they could release some muscle tension due to their techniques. 

 

The key to this type of healing is, they, first of all, use the body’s innate ability to heal itself. This is done without the need to twist or pop your joints in order to remove the nervous system interference. This is key for the spine. They use specific and gentle adjustments instead, backed up by scientific studies. They will track and adjust your appointments so you can keep going until they see that the body has begun to heal itself due to the release of pressure. 

 

These two techniques have been shown to work. There is no doubt that ice and pressure work. It may be uncomfortable but it will only last a few minutes. Chiropractors have shown that their techniques have evolved, from loud pops to scientific-based gentle adjustments. 

 

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How To Take Care Of Your Veins As A Trucker

How To Take Care Of Your Veins As A Trucker

How To Take Care Of Your Veins As A Trucker

Take care of your veins truck drivers

Pexels- CC0 License

The human body is supposed to move continually. Even when we sleep, we toss and turn, and fidget endlessly. 

 

The reason we do this has to do with how fluid moves around our bodies. We actually have several circulatory systems. The biggest is the blood, but there’s also one for lymph and another one for brain fluid. 

 

These systems can work while the body is sedentary. But they have movement built into their design, meaning that to function at their best, they need you to activate your muscles. 

 

Most workers have no problem doing this. Even office workers have to get up for a cup of coffee or a meeting every now and then. 


For truckers, though, it’s a different story. You often can’t stop and take a break to stretch your legs, particularly, if you’re caught in traffic. 

 

And that’s a problem because it can lead to damage to your blood vessels over time. 

 

So what can you do about it when there are thousands of loads available and you have to work your socks off? 

 

Move Your Legs Around

 

Many truckers develop problems such as varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis. It’s not just down to “getting older.” Instead, it’s a consequence of how blood pools while you drive. Over time, it applies pressure to the inside walls of veins, causing them to lose their elasticity and balloon outwards. When this happens, it’s almost impossible to get them to return to their original shape. 


The trick here is to move your legs around often. Just moving them at the knee can be enough to get the blood moving. When you come to a traffic stop, try pushing both your toes into the floor and then releasing, repeating several times. Again, this will encourage the blood vessels in the legs to get to work and return blood to the heart. 

 

Stop Every Hour Or So

Truck Drivers taking care of their veins while driving blog post

Pexels – CC0 License

 

While stopping every hour or so isn’t always possible, you should try to do it whenever you can. Stopping and moving gives your body a chance to pump blood around your system, relieving vein problems in your legs. You’ll notice that you feel so much better after a five-minute walk and stretch than if you just carry on driving. Plus, it will help reduce the chance you’ll develop vein dysfunction in the future. 

 

Wear Compression Stockings

 

The idea of wearing compression stockings might sound a little strange. But studies seem to indicate that they work. 

 

Stockings compress muscles. This process, in turn, causes the blood vessels inside them to work harder. Evidence suggests that they can reduce blood clots by a significant amount. 

 

You can buy compression stockings in most drug stores. They’re also a great investment if you do a lot of flying. 

 

Flex Your Foot At The Ankle

Another strategy is to flex the ankle, something that medics call dorsiflexing. The action moves the foot up and down, helping to pump the muscles and improve overall blood flow. It’s also great if you drive in a cramped seating position.