As a truck driver, you spend countless hours behind the wheel, navigating various terrains and enduring long periods of sitting.
Your truck seat supports you mile after mile, but is your own body’s support system — your core area — up to the task?
Back pain isn’t just a possibility without adequate core strength; it’s an impending reality.
Your body’s foundation matters on the road.
Before delving into core exercises or ergonomic truck seats, let’s talk about where your core strength begins — your feet.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
On the open road, everything starts from the ground up. The same could be said for your body. Your foot health determines your core system’s integrity, influencing your posture and potential for pain.
It’s time to kick off those shoes whenever possible, stimulate your feet and integrate practices like massage with a tennis ball, calf stretching and toe movements into your daily routine. It’ll ignite your physical circuit board for better core performance and less strain!
Build your core strength from the ground up.
Think of your body’s core area as a building.
To build a sturdy core, start with your “foundation” (your feet) and make your way up to your “walls” (your pelvic region). These aren’t just simple checkpoints; they’re a comprehensive path toward achieving a neutral, pain-free posture.
Align the outer edges of your feet, straighten the fold lines behind your knees, and stack your pelvis (straighten out that curvature in your back and align your spine so your ribcage is “stacked” above your pelvis). It might initially feel odd, especially if your driving routine has led to twisted and misaligned muscles.
Lay the “flooring” for optimal core strength.
Your pelvic floor is pivotal. An ignored or weak pelvic floor is like having a hole in the floor of your truck; eventually, everything starts to fall apart.
Get intimate with this area. Know the landmarks: pubis bone, sitz bones and tailbone. From there, build control and awareness, maneuvering through contractions without relying on your glutes.
Secure the “roofing.”
Just as with any well-constructed building, your rib cage — the “roof” — needs proper alignment. A misaligned rib cage will snowball into many issues that will have a negative impact on your back, shoulders and neck.
Think foundationally now instead of bracing for a backache on your next haul. Address your body’s mechanics from feet to pelvic floor to rib cage, and you’ll experience a remarkable difference.
Your core is more than just muscle. It’s an integrated system essential for enduring who you are as a trucker — vigilant, enduring, and always on the move.
Every truck driver deserves to be pain-free both during and beyond their journeys. Start building your body like a house that’s meant to last for the long haul.
Hope Zvara is a regular contributor to The Trucker, providing tips for healthy living on the road as well as tips to control stress. She is also the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.
