Sitting: A Major Health Concern for Truck Drivers
Our society relies on commercial trucks. From Delivery trucks that transport goods to stores and our homes, to landscaping trucks that tow lawn mowers and other equipment to various job sites, to heavy-duty vehicles like dump trucks and cement mixers, the world wouldn’t work if it wasn’t for commercial trucks. Of course, trucks need skilled drivers to operate them, which means sitting behind the wheel of a big machine for hours at a time. It’s no secret that driving a commercial truck can be bad for your health. The biggest concern for health professionals is how long truck drivers regularly sit in a day.
We want to make sure truck drivers just like you live a long, healthy life. We’ve put together some important information on how long periods of sitting can be a big health concern, along with tips on how to combat these negative health effects.
Sitting Too Much
Sitting behind the wheel of a commercial truck is a huge part of your job, we get it. It’s important to be aware, however, that long periods of sitting can be bad for your health. According to information published by the famous Mayo Clinic, “Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. Too much sitting also seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
Preventing Health Issues Caused by Sitting
That’s the bad news. But, if you’re conscious about the risks of sitting, you can take steps to limit how much you sit in a day. Depending on the type of truck you drive and the industry you’re in, many truck drivers have downtime during the day where they are having their truck loaded with goods, or waiting in-line to deliver goods to a store or regional distribution hub. Use this time to your advantage. As an example, many dump truck drivers have a lot of downtime at construction sites. Rather than wait in your truck, sitting behind the wheel, get out and stretch your legs. If time and the situation permits, go for a 10-minute walk—it will feel good and could help prevent serious health issues. At the end of the day, the more you’re able to move, the better. Once you start standing and walking more, you’re going to start feeling better and experiencing other benefits.
“For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Even better, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall — and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.” - Mayo Clinic Report
By taking a little time each day to focus on your health you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. Good luck to all commercial truck drivers and remember: your health is important, don’t ignore it.
