Your spine is the backbone of your body’s health — literally. It holds you upright, protects your nervous system and allows you to move freely.
As truck drivers, spending long hours behind the wheel put a lot of stress on your back, shoulders and hips. Over time, sitting compresses the spine, tightens the chest and shoulders, and weakens the muscles that support good posture.
The result? Aches, stiffness and — in many cases — chronic pain that makes driving (and life in general) a whole lot harder.
But here’s the good news: Just a few simple stretches can help “reset” your body, relieve tension and keep your spine and shoulders mobile — with no gym required.
Try these four moves the next time you’re at a stop and your body needs a release.
1. Standing Mirror Torso Twist
How to do it:
- Stand on the ground next to your side-view mirror.
- Grab the mirror with your outside hand (your arm will cross your torso).
- Rotate your torso away from the truck, reaching your free arm wide as shown in Photo 1 below.
- Let your spine rotate with each breath.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Benefits:
- Stretches your spine, obliques and chest.
- Improves rotation and reduces stiffness from hours of sitting.
- Helps ease low back and mid-back tightness.
2. Truck Half Down Dog
How to do it:
- Place your hands on the side of your truck, the step or the tailgate.
- Step back until your arms are straight.
- Press into your hands, and relax your head and chest toward the ground (Photo 2, below).
- Hold this position for 5 to 10 breaths.
Benefits:
- Stretches the shoulders, chest, hamstrings and spine.
- Helps decompress the spine after long hours of sitting.
- Relieves upper back and neck tension caused by driving posture.
3. Shoulder & Chest Opener
How to do it:
- Stand next to your side mirror.
- Grab the mirror with your inside hand.
- Turn your torso open and away from the mirror (Photo 3).
- Use your free hand to help open your shoulders even further by tucking it behind.
- Relax your upper back away from your neck.
- Hold this position for 5 to10 breaths; then switch sides.
Benefits:
- Opens the chest, shoulders, and upper back.
- Counteracts the hunched-forward driving posture.
- Improves breathing by giving your ribcage more space to expand.
4. IT Band & Side Line Stretch
Editor’s Note: The iliotibial (IT) band is a thick, fibrous band of tissue that runs along the outer side of the thigh from the hip to the shinbone. It helps to stabilize the knee joint and plays a role in walking, running and other movements.
How to do it:
- Stand next to your truck mirror.
- Grab the mirror with your inside hand.
- Cross your outside leg behind your inside foot.
- Exhale as you lean into your outside hip and reach your outside arm up and toward the truck (see Photo 4).
- Hold for 5 breaths; then switch sides.
Benefits:
- Stretches the side body, IT band and outer hips.
- Relieves hip tightness that contributes to back pain.
- Improves spinal mobility and side-body flexibility.
Final Mile
Your spine and shoulders are your driving partners for life. Protecting them means less pain, more energy and a longer, healthier career on the road. Just a few minutes of stretching each day can help you stay strong, mobile, and ready to roll.
As I always tell drivers: Movement is medicine, and the best kind is the kind you can do right where you are.
For more tips from Hope Zvara about staying healthy on the road, click here.
Hope Zvara is a regular contributor to The Trucker, providing tips for healthy living on the road as well as tips to control stress. She is also the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.
