Long-haul trucking has its perks but sitting in a seat all day, no matter how soft and cushioned, takes a toll on your back. Then there’s the unloading and loading prior to and following the long trip. So what do truckers prefer and need for back support?
There are a few things that truckers can use on those long trips where you just can’t seem to get your back in a comfortable, pain-free position, including heating pads or wraps, lumbar supports, a variety of back-support cushions, work belts, and ergonomic, whole-seat shields.
What truckers go with depends on their particular problem. Lumbar support is going to support the lower region of the back while the back shield forces posture, therefore alleviating current and future back pain. Some may choose to use a combination of devices or methods.
Lumbar Support Pillows
Lumbar support pillows go a long way toward relieving lower back pain, especially by forcing the spine to not curve into a “C”. The best kind are those that come with a mesh cover, so it gives the skin on your lower back a degree of breathability.
Healthy posture helps to eliminate back pain, even if the results aren’t immediate. It’s difficult to correct poor posture over a short period of time. However, with the combination of good back support and other, related tools to help alleviate back pain, lumbar support becomes a much-needed necessity.
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It’s always good to go with the kind that straps onto the seat, to keep it from sliding back and forth or falling off of the seat as you move around. Also, memory foam is the predominant material used in lumbar support, and it’s an excellent material since it molds to your back without losing its structure.
BackShield
Backshield, and others like it, strap to the seat and provide whole-back support with an ergonomic surface that supports the spin and keeps it in alignment. The Backshield actually helps to lift the spine, so there is a degree of support rather than a forceful realignment.
It also serves to re-teach you how to properly sit, keeping your spine at maximum ergonomic alignment. Posture dictates much in our daily lives, including our health and energy levels, which makes Backshield important as it actively works to improve posture, so long as it is used correctly.
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No one is going to benefit much from back support if they spend the day driving by leaning forward or slouching, both of which can contribute to varying degrees of back pain all up and down the spinal column.
Workbelts
Workbelts lend a degree of back support even when you aren’t being active. Like a knee brace, it’s difficult to lean forward or back against it as it sits tight around the midsection and lower back.
Leaning too far forward presses it down and into the upper groin region while leaning back folds the back skin out and over the lip of the workbelt. Even while driving, workbelts strive to keep you balanced and your spine straight up and down, rather than slouched forward or backward.
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They’re also a convenient tool when it comes time to lift and pull heavy objects, such as unloading and loading transport cargo, or working as a mechanic when things go wrong on your rig. So workbelts provide a bit of back support and pain relief regardless of what is being done at the time.
Heating Pads or Wraps
12V heating pads and wraps that plug directly into a cigarette lighter are fairly common and easy to use. Simply wrap it around or place it on the spot that is giving you pain and plug it right in.
Heating pads are one of the best items on this list for a trucker to use because they draw blood and oxygen to the hurt or tight muscles. Both the transfusion of blood and the increased oxygen promote healing to the area.
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While that is going on, the heat has anti-inflammatory effects on the skin, tissue, and tendons. As the area warms, the muscles loosen and stop being so tightly wound. Part of the pain of a sore back is more than just the injury but also the muscles constricting and tightening around the area.
A heating pad works to alleviate that, along with reducing the pain through anti-inflammatory properties, increased blood flow, and elevated oxygen in the immediate area.
Seat Cushions
Seat cushions are similar, in a lot of ways, to the above-mentioned lumbar support memory foam. Whereas the lumbar support is specifically designed for just that, lumbar support, seat cushions can be used in a variety of ways, especially depending on how they are designed.
In terms of seat cushions, you typically have two varieties to choose from. The first is a standard seat cushion that you sit on, most of which are made of memory foam. The second is a combination of a seat cushion and lumbar support.
You may wonder how a seat cushion has anything to do with back relief and ergonomic support. A comfortable seat will help keep you in place and, due to the enhanced comfort level, keep you from moving yourself around to try to get comfortable and place your back into uncomfortable positions.
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Its also good as a combination device, such as the seat cushion and lumbar support or a seat cushion facilitated with a Back Shield. The main idea is to simply increase comfort levels and reduce the need to slouch and place your back in compromising positions.
For that function alone, it’s more than worth it to go with a quality seat cushion. With the added capability of working in tandem with heating pads and other back support devices, it’s easy to see the advantages offered by using a seat cushion.
Final Thoughts
Those are the five most common and popular things that truckers use for back pain relief and support. The best part is, none of these items are overly expensive and they work great in combinations. Anytime you need back relief as a long-haul trucker, you should strongly consider these items.
