As a HGV driver, the odds are that you’ve already chalked up a fair number of miles on the road. But have you ever noticed that your back and neck start to ache after a while? You might not feel it while you’re driving, but when you jump down from your cab the aches, pains and spine cracks start, and suddenly you’re reaching for the painkillers. To get technical, back pain is caused because when a person is driving for a long time, the spine loses its natural lumbar curve, which puts added strain on the discs, vertebrae and muscles in your lower back, resulting in pain. Back and neck pain is a really common problem for HGV drivers, and it will only get worse if you don’t take action to prevent it. So, if you want to save your spine, we have a few tips for you.
Get Comfy Before You Start
If you’re in a rush or on a schedule, the desire to just jump in and take off right away is strong. But that could be one of the reasons you’re in pain at the end of the day. Before you set off on your next journey, take an extra minute or two to make sure you’re truly comfortable in the driving seat. Even the smallest source of irritation at the beginning of the journey can turn into raging pain by the end, so get rid of them early. Make sure you take your phone, keys, wallet, loose change, or anything else out of your pockets – paying particular attention to the back pockets. Even small items in your back pocket can throw off your spinal alignment by a couple of degrees, causing pain later on. Once you’ve done that, sit straight in the seat with your knees slightly higher than your hips, and tilt your chin up so that your head sits straight on your spine. Make sure your spine is in complete contact with the seat for optimal support. Once you’re comfortable, try and stay in that position for the majority of the drive. It might take some trial and error to find the most comfortable position for you (and learn to stick with it), but this is a good starting point.
Take Regular Breaks
Regular breaks are mandated by your employer and the government, so this should be an easy one to follow. Sitting in one position for a long time will cause your spine to stiffen up, which in turn leads to muscle stiffness and aches, or even muscle spasms (ouch!). Just remember, while your spine is one long strand, it’s designed to move, not sit still. Make sure you take regular breaks from driving, even if it’s just 5 minutes to walk around the outside of the cab. This small amount of movement will help keep your spine limber and relax any tensing muscles. But you should resist the urge to stretch or bend too much during these periods – your spine is at its weakest after long stretches of time immobile, and you could end up accidently doing yourself some serious damage.
Loosen Your Grip!
Finally, loosen up your grip on the wheel! The second biggest complaint of drivers after back pain is shoulder and neck pain, and this is caused by gripping the wheel too hard for too long. The gripping motion sends tension up your arms and holds it in your shoulder and neck muscles, which will start to cramp, ache and spasm if held there too long. So relax your shoulders and loosen your grip on the wheel while you’re driving! It’s best to move your seat or steering column so that your arms are slightly bent at the elbows, as this makes it difficult to carry the tension up to your neck. You should also make sure you’re sitting facing the wheel directly, not at an angle, as this increases the risk of neck pain and even injury.
For more information on how to stay safe while driving your HGV, or to find the next step in your HGV driving career, just get in touch with the team at Rapier today.