Truck driver back injuries

Bursitis bursa sacs help muscles articulate with bone, providing fluids to keep joints working. Resting is a time for the back ligaments and muscles to heal themselves. Arm, back and neck injuries prevalent among longhaul truck drivers. The out of town defendant driving a rental car made an illegal uturn causing a collision with the plaintiff. Workers engaged in the loading or unloading of suspensiontype highway trailers may be at an increased risk of injury due to the inability of damaged trailers to support the weight of the powered industrial truck used to load or unload the trailer. In this video, eric demonstrates how to adjust driver s seat to lessen spine strain and avoid back pain caused be poor seat adjustment. A common knee injury sustained by drivers is called patellar tendonitis, which is better known as jumpers knee. Truck drivers also had more nonfatal injuries over 151,000 than workers in any other occupation in 1995. Longhaul truck drivers operate heavy trucks and tractortrailers with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. Why truck drivers need a good seat cushion to alleviate.

Ice works well because the majority of back pain comes with inflammation. Research shows that driving and the design of modern car, bus or truck seats may play a role in causing some of the back injuries and pain. However, due to the physical demands of their job, many drivers develop painful and sometimes debilitating knee conditions. Truck driver tips to avoid back pain while sitting the. First, lets take a look at what, exactly, is going on with your back. Prolonged driving is common for truck drivers, which often leads to back pain and other health issues. As an injured truck driver, you cannot file a lawsuit against your employer for an onthejob injury. Although back injuries are more prevalent in this profession, shoulder injuries are often costlier and require more time missed from work due to longer recovery periods and more extensive therapies. In addition, osha stated that injuries to drivers that occur in sleeper berths or while showering at rest stops would not be considered recordable injuries. Safety and health topics trucking industry related. Stick around in trucking long enough and youll probably hear this statement either from another trucker or coming out of you own mouth.

Because truck drivers stay seated for long periods of time, back pain is among the most common injury risks they face. Truck drivers are at high risk of developing various degenerative disorders due to the stress that repetitive lifting of cargo can put on the spine and the muscles of the lower back. Truck driver upper back pain or any pain for that matter can be taken care of before drivers even hit the seat. Truck driver back pain what every driver needs to know bud. Common work injuries for truck drivers raleigh truck. Limited illness and injury data for longhaul truck drivers prompted the national institute for occupational safety and health to conduct the national survey of longhaul truck driver health and injury. Doctor focuses on spinal conditions in longhaul truckers. This means that if you or a loved one has suffered a truck accident injury, you may be in a position to seek compensation for the truck driver s negligence and the harm it causes. While the job itself doesnt sound too bad, sitting for long periods of time inside of a vibrating vehicle can actually do a number on the human body. You may have the option to sue a commercial truck after being rearended, but if you wish to pursue legal action against the driver or the trucking company that employs the driver, it is recommended to hire an experienced trucking accident injury attorney to ensure you receive the highest amount of compensation for your injuries, vehicle damage and other claims. National survey of longhaul truck driver health and injury. Low back pain is probably one of the most common injuries seen in trucking.

Osha assistance for the trucking industry industry hazards loading and unloading. Arthritis repetitive actions have the potential to exacerbate common. Osha assistance for the trucking industry industry. Long distance truck driver back pain some exercises to help.

In recognizing that overtheroad truck drivers present a unique situation, osha has included a worksheet for employers in the trucking industry to fill out to determine driver incidence rates. Combine that with the real risk of repetitive stress injuries from the manual work of driving and back injuries from loading their cargo, and you have a very risky profession. File a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent third party. Truck driving and chronic back pain nebraska spine hospital. The most common types of injuries were sprains and strains 60 percent and fractures 11 percent. Truck driver back pain what every driver needs to know. The profession itself requires long hours of driving, poor diets, and little exercise, making truck drivers prone to injuries. In 2010, niosh surveyed longhaul truck drivers in the united states to determine national estimates of workrelated safety and health conditions. Truck driver demographics and the risk of musculoskeletal.

When it comes to trucking, muscle and back pain are inevitable occupational hazards for one simple reason. Back and neck injuries are among the most common injuries suffered by professional truck drivers. Neck, back and spine injuries verdicts and settlements. Did you know that 2540% of all truck drivers suffer from chronic back pain. Thats because driving for long periods of time, carrying heavy loads, or having a job that requires you to twist your back are all suspected risk factors that contribute to sciatica. Truck drivers with lower back pain experience a biochemical problem within their bodies. These 5 movements will greatly reduce the amount of pain in your back when driving. Knee pain is a way of life for many commercial truck drivers. Truck driving is one of the most dangerous occupations in the us, and that danger is not limited to traffic accidents. Workers compensation for truck driver neck and back injuries. Back pain is the bane of many whose jobs involve a lot of sitting at a desk or other work station. Truck drivers are particularly prone to develop knee pain due in part to the circumstances of their jobs. Symptoms of lower back pain include muscle ache, shooting or stabbing pain, restricted flexibility andor range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Hours of slumped sitting loading up the base of the spine.

Fight pain by getting a good nights rest and propping yourself in the best supportive positions. Falls from elevations falling from vehicles, falling on stairs and falling into. Truck driving also provides less support for the back because the feet are used for braking and shifting. Chronic back pain is often the result of your profession. Truckers often learn proper lifting techniques, but may forget them in the rush to make timely deliveries. Truck driver back pain prevention work out muscle imbalances everyone has muscle imbalances and weve found theyre the number one cause of back pain. A proper examination will help determine the real source of your pain and this is the first step in determining whether your arm pain really is a pain in the neck. Back pain is a serious problem for drivers go by truck. Truck driver injury prevention the trucking industry is a profession with one of the highest workers compensation claim rates. They have limited mobility in the cab of their trucks.

Unfortunately, back pain is one of these conditions and is a common problem among truck drivers. Researchers have associated sedentary behavior with approximately 35 chronic diseases and conditions, the wall street journal reported in 2015. The stretching and strengthening exercises i showed you in the video will help the most common postural dysfunctions caused by sitting in the cab of your truck all day long. An epidemiologic study of occupational low back pain in. Tractortrailer and truck driver injuries workers comp. Fortunately, some of the common injuries from overstressing can be. Truck driver cabin ergonomics transportation research board. Takes at least one mandatory 10hour rest period away from home during each delivery run. At first glance, truck driving may not seem like a profession that would be prone to knee injuries. When truck drivers suffer injuries, they often lose out on wages until they recover. The case involved a 38yearold man who was driving his pickup truck to his office. Because driving truck is one of the most dangerous professions in america, truck drivers are vulnerable to neck and back injuries such as a herniated or ruptured discs that can result from motor vehicle accidents, slips and falls, struck by accidents and more. Cdc longhaul truck drivers safety and health studies. Slipping on the truck step and grabbing the hand bar to break a fall, is among the most common causes of upper extremity injury to truck drivers.

The best sleeping position for back pain, neck pain, and sciatica tips from a physical therapist duration. Sitting has a way of causing your neck and back to hurt. Truck driver shoulder injuries chappell smith arden. Also, truck seats do not always provide lumbar support. Longhaul truck driver health survey results blogs cdc. Survey results, published in 2014, suggest a need for a tailored approach to prevent injury and illness among longhaul truck drivers to improve overall driver. An epidemiologic study of occupational low back pain in truck drivers. Shoulder injuries are the second most common workrelated injury for a commercial truck driver. Identifies truck driving from 1992 to 1995 as having the most fatalities of all occupations, accounting for 12 percent of all worker deaths. Im only 38 been trucking for years latelly i started experiencing a sharp pain on my left buttock that i can barely walk.

Drives a truck with three or more axles a heavy truck. Generally speaking, injuries among truck drivers in north carolina fall within the following categories. After visiting the doctor i realised that the way i sit while driving caused my spine to be misaligned i like to lean the seat back and with no real lumber support the main nerve is pinched between the bones causing the pain. Tendonitis a result of straining, twisting, or turning improperly. While there have been some improvements in ergonomic design of vehicle driver cabins, truck and bus drivers are still experiencing lower back painsinjuries disproportional to other workers, discomfort with safety belt use often resulting in nonuse, poor visibility around the vehicle, lack of readily accessible devices and objects in vehicle, and unsafe access to and egress from the vehicle. Musculoskeletal disorders msd of the neck, back and upper extremities these issues can be caused. Simply sitting in the driver s seat of a truck all day could be having serious consequences for your health. Truck drivers also face health risks that can affect their livelihood. Driving and back care back pain, neck pain, lower back.

Truck drivers themselves are a major contributing factor in more than half of all truck accidents 55 percent. In addition to this there are accidents, falls and the possibility that. Why truck drivers need a good seat cushion to alleviate back pain prolonged driving is very common for truck drivers, so its natural to expect truck drivers to sit for long periods of time. Bod 360 degrees fully adjustable memory foam seat cushion and lumbar support suited for office chairs, ergonomically designed to alleviate back pain sciatica relief for car, truck, driver, seniors 4. Drivers face a variety of occupational health risks including prolonged or aggravated pain in.

At some point, every truck driver is going to experience some back pain, but there are ways that you can try to deal with this pain, or take steps to mitigate it. He suffered a herniated disc which required two surgeries, and there was substantial damage to his ford bronco. There is no shortage of ways to injure your neck and back as a truck driver. But there are a few common injuries that all truck drivers are at a risk of suffering from. Many truck drivers experience neck and back pain from sitting for long periods of time or carpal tunnel syndrome and shoulder pain from steering their truck. Osha clarifies criteria for recording driver injuries. Results were published in the american journal of industrial medicine. Why truck drivers need a good seat cushion to alleviate back pain. They sit in a small cramped space which makes it difficult for them to move around and stretch. Miyamoto m1, shirai y, nakayama y, gembun y, kaneda k. But if someone elses negligence caused your injuries, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit in addition to a workers comp claim. Commercial truck drivers face the risk of injury not only from accidents on the road, but also from the physical toll of sitting in and operating the vehicle. Average semi truck accident settlement info lawsuit. If youre suffering from back pain, holding ice to the area for about 20 minutes can do a lot to numb sore tissues, decrease tissue damage, reduce swelling, and slow the nerve impulses.

About twothirds of the fatally injured truckers were involved in highway crashes. Approximately 500,000 highway accidents happen each year involving a tractor trailer and nearly 75% of these accidents are caused by the driver of the passenger vehicle not the trucker. Drivers often complain of stiffness, dull achy pain and stabbing. Truck drivers sit in a truck for so many hours each day. Truckers also reported falling on ice while changing a tire or walking around the truck. The most common injuries suffered by truck drivers the. The vibration of the vehicle evacuating fluid from the discs. These men and women are essential to the transportation of goods in the united states, but high job demands and low control e. Try alternating your icing with heat therapy to combat back pain even.

According to a recent atlas ergonomics study, long hours behind the wheel put certain drivers at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. Drivers face a variety of occupational health risks including prolonged or aggravated pain in the back, neck, knees, and shoulders. The rotator cuff, elbow and ac joint are damaged during this type of fall. Sitting in drivers seat all day has health consequences. Many people also experience injuries to the joints in their lower body as a result of jumping down from the truck cab. Back pain in truck drivers chiropractic treatments.