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Top 3 Trucker Injuries: And How To Avoid Them

There are many benefits to working as a long-haul driver (or trucker). However, the nature of the work sometimes means that you are susceptible to specific injuries, which, if not treated appropriately, could mean you have to take a lot of time off work. Not only could this lose you money, it means you won’t be able to get behind the wheel and do what you love for a little while.

With that in mind, here are the most common injuries that truckers have to deal with.

1: Sprains

Whether you are regularly lifting heavy cargo or attempt to do a two-person job alone, it’s relatively easy to sprain your wrist. However, a sprain can be incredibly painful, and if left untreated, can cause severe damage to your wrist/hand.

2: Back/Neck pain

Spending lots of hours behind the wheel, combined with poor posture, can lead to many back and neck injuries, which can quickly worsen over time.

3: Repetitive Stress Injuries

Repetitive stress injuries are caused when you repeat the same task over and over again. For example, you could get an RSI through how you hold the steering wheel or by sitting in the same position for too long. This can lead to painful swelling and inflammation.

However, there are several steps you can take to minimize the risk of injury moving forward – keeping you happy, healthy, and behind the wheel!

This includes:

Participating in Yoga. Yoga is a great way to remove any tension in your body and is also a great way to unwind after an incredibly stressful day. It can also help you recover from an injury and relieve the pain you may be holding in your neck, back, or shoulders.

Visit a chiropractor. There are numerous different ways in which you can take better care of your body – many of which can help you recover from injuries quicker or reduce the chances of getting injured in the first place. For example, you could arrange a visit with a chiropractor. When you visit a Chiropractor, you can treat injuries in your neck, back, and shoulder muscles, alongside reducing inflammation in your body.

Working out. In addition to yoga, you should ensure that you include plenty of exercise into your routine. This is a great way to ensure that you spend time outdoors and positively impact your physical and mental health. Whether you work out with others or alone, you should spend at least 30 minutes a day exercising.

Practice good posture. As mentioned previously, many of the above injuries are caused a result of poor posture. Therefore, you should work on improving your posture wherever possible. When sat in a truck, you should ensure that you have appropriate lumbar support and that your knees rest lower than your hips. You can find more guidance on proper driving posture here.

Taking regular breaks. Another way you can minimize the chance of getting injured when driving is by taking frequent breaks. Though the rule varies depending on the area you might be driving in, drivers are expected to have at least 11 hours rest after driving – but long journeys should include smaller breaks throughout the day.

Check out more great articles from Mother Trucker Yoga:

How Chiropractic Can Help Truck Drivers https://staging8.mothertruckeryoga.com/2020/10/09/how-chiropractic-can-help-truck-drivers/

Benefits of a Chiropractor for Travel https://staging8.mothertruckeryoga.com/2020/10/13/benefits-of-a-chiropractor-for-travel/

Hot to Have Perfect Posture: VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kI0bTvP0KOg

Mother Trucker Yoga blog The Benefits of Working Out with Others

When you work out, you have the choice to do it alone or with others. Some people are lone wolves who would much rather do it alone, but working out with other people has some excellent benefits too. You can choose to work out with a friend or exercise in a group when you join a class or even a club or group that’s been set up for the activity that you enjoy. When you choose to work out with others, it makes it a more social experience, which can deliver a few different benefits and could even help you to be healthier.

Better Accountability

Getting fit with other people can be a great idea if you struggle to hold yourself accountable. It’s often far too easy to just decide not to go to the gym or do that workout when there are other things you could be doing instead. If this sounds like you, you could benefit from exercising with other people. When you have others who are counting on you to turn up, it makes it more difficult to decide not to go. You don’t want to disappoint anyone, especially if they’re your friend and they’ve made the effort to show up for you.

More Fun

For a lot of people, working out with others is just more fun. When you exercise alone, it can be peaceful, but you also might just find it kind of boring. If you prefer someone to talk to while you work out or even just someone whose company you can enjoy while you both get on with your workout, it can make your workouts more interesting. Attending a class like those offered by Fitness 19 can be a lot of fun too. When you’re surrounded by other people, it raises the energy in the room. Plus, it can help you to feel less self-conscious if everyone else is doing the same thing as you.

Safer Workouts

Working out with someone else can make your workouts safer too. For example, if you’re lifting weights at the gym, you’ll have someone there to spot you. You will be able to do exercises that you might not have been able to do on your own, which means that you can diversify your workouts more. And if you choose to work out with a personal trainer, in a class or just with someone who’s a little more experienced than you, you can learn new things under someone else’s instruction.

Push Yourself Further

You might feel inspired to push yourself further if you’re working out with someone else. You can motivate each other to keep going and complete your workout so that you don’t give up before you should. Working out together can also encourage you to get a little competitive. Some healthy competition can push you to try and do better so that you beat the other people you’re working out with.

Start working out with other people if you want to get more from your workouts and make your exercise more of a social experience.