Recent News
Whether it’s long-haul transport or local bever- age delivery, truck driving is one of the hardest jobs on the body. Not only are the long hours of sitting hard on truck drivers’ backs, but so are all their other tasks. It is easy to overlook the heavy toll that securing loads, stacking hand trucks, or handling freight can have on the body. In fact, truck driving is always at or near the top of OSHA’s list of professions for lost work due to injury. The good news is that there are several things you can do to lessen the risk of injury.
Tips for Driving
- Vary your seat position slightly every 30 to 60 minutes to vary the stress on your body.
- Change hand position on the steering wheel often. Do not squeeze harder than necessary.
- Use a steering wheel cover to protect your hands from a cold wheel.
- Use a gel seat cushion if the truck vibrates too much.
Adjust the Seat
- Knees should not be higher than the hips.
- The front of the seat should not contact the back of the knee. Such contact will cause drivers to slide forward into a rounded posture.
- You should be able to depress pedals all the way without twisting the back or moving away from the seat.
- If possible, adjust the lumbar area of the seat to provide gentle support. A towel or lumbar roll may be added to support the low back, if needed.
- Slightly recline the back so the angle between the back and legs is approximately 110 degrees. Shift the body often, but stay close to this position.
- Position the steering wheel to keep elbows as close to the sides as possible, minimizing reach.
- Be sure instrumentation is easy to see.
- Adjust mirrors so you can see all of them without slouching or twisting. Use the mirrors as a cue to sit up when you slouch, instead of readjusting them....
Chiro-Associates has been a valued service to my husband an myself for 24 years, where we have always been treated in a professional manner by all the staff. Dr Brannigan's knowledge and care objectives have been very successful for both of us. We highly recommend "Chiro-Associates" to anyone in need of chiropractic care. Laverne & Al
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Understand Your Body Mass Index |
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Body mass index, or BMI, is important to understanding the health consequences your weight has on your body. Researchers have found that BMI can be directly related to a person's risk for many diseases. Because increased weight and obesity have such a profound effect on health, making it the leading cause in preventing many diseases, knowing your BMI is as important as understanding your cholesterol and blood pressure. You can easily calculate your BMI using your weight and height with the following equation:
As an example, a woman weighing 155 pounds who is 5 feet 4 inches tall would calculate her BMI as follows:
According to the World Health Organization, there are three categories of obesity:
A BMI of 27 or higher is associated with increased morbidity and mortality; this is generally considered the point at which some form of treatment for obesity is required. A BMI between 25 and 27 is considered a warning sign and may warrant intervention, especially in the presence of additional risk factors such as diabetes or cardiovascular conditions. To calculate your target BMI, use the following formula:
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