Truckers know that they have to take proper care of their trucks or they will begin to lose money through lost time when a rig breaks down. Repairs are much more costly than proper maintenance. What most truckers don't realize is that the same principle applies to their own bodies and health. It is much more costly to repair an injury than to avoid it in the first place.
Truckers are well aware that they are often not eating for their health or getting enough sleep. Many articles have been written about these issues and truckers must learn to heed the advice they give. But there are other health-related issues that truckers and their employers must also address.
One such issue is the fact that truck cabs are not designed well for the truckers driving them. Admittedly, trucks are expensive pieces of equipment, but the poor ergonomics (designing work spaces so that it reduces the wear and tear on the person) contributes too much pressure on hip joints, backs, and necks. And those are just some of the design flaws. Even if a driver is lean, sitting in one position too long will place stress on back muscles and set them up for injury. Overweight drivers are putting even more strain on those same muscles. Truckers would help themselves tremendously if they would build strong abdomen muscles to avoid back pain.
Another reason for shoulder, neck and back pain is poor posture in general, but especially while driving. A better designed seat is needed. In the meantime, being aware of the dangers to muscles and the skeletal frame from poor posture habits and correcting those habits would also prevent serious injuries.
