The best stretches for truck drivers on the road

With more than 3.5 million truck drivers on the roads in the United States, truckers deal with a lot of wear and tear from their jobs. Spending about 125,000 miles on the road annually, many truckers in the United States aren’t getting the kind of action they need to live healthy lives.

One way truckers can deal with the effects of trucking is by using stretches for truck drivers. It’s as simple as taking a break at your next truck stop to get moving, stretch your arms, legs and back out for the next leg of your trip.

Here are some of the best stretches for truck drivers and what you should use them for:

1) Neck rotation: used to warm up the small muscles that are involved in the movement of your head and stability. It’s important for truckers to use this form of stretching because it can help relieve neck tension and upper shoulder tightness. 

Action: Start by standing or sitting with a straight back. Then, tilt your head forward and try to touch your chin to your chest. Once you’ve done that, begin rotating your head clockwise while tilting your head as far as you can to the right. Finish by tilting your head to the left and rotate your head counter-clockwise.

2) Shoulder​ ​pull: used to stretch your shoulder and triceps a good stretch of the shoulder can go a long way. It can improve your posture, strengthen and stabilize your rotator cuff.

Action: With one arm straight across your chest, use your other arm to pull the first arm towards your chest by grabbing onto your elbow. Hold for several seconds and then repeat with your opposite arm.

3) Hamstring​ ​square: used to stretch your hamstrings and your spine these type of hamstring stretches can relieve tension in your calves, lower back and hamis with ease.

Action: Facing your truck, press the heels of your hands against the truck, step back, and bend at the waist to form a right angle with your body and legs. Repeat with other leg.

4) Wrist​ ​bend: used to stretch your wrists, forearms and reduce pain in joints. You can also try lightly bending back each individual finger for a deeper stretch. As truckers we use our hands for a lot of things, so we should be taking care of them!

Action: Bracing your fingers on the steering wheel, bend your wrists forward and backward to begin stretching your wrists and your forearms. For a deeper stretch, bend back each individual finger.

5) Arm​ ​rotation: used to stretch your arms and chest this type of stretching can be done while laying in bed! Perfect for stretching in-side your cab.

Action: Standing beside your truck, place one palm against the side of your truck and extend your arm slightly with a bend. Then, rotate your body away from the truck. Repeat with the opposite arm.

6) Classic​ ​quad​ ​stretch: used to stretch your quadriceps this type of stretching can be done standing beside your 18-wheeler.

Action: Start by standing with a slight bend in your leg. Then, reach behind yourself and grab your opposite ankle and pull your heel towards the center of your glutes. Hold and repeat with your opposite leg.

7) Back bends: used to help preserve the health of the vertebrae and spinal disks this form of stretching is extremely important for truckers since they are more susceptible to back problems, such as spondylolisthesis.

Action: In a kneeling position, engage your abdominals, roll shoulders back and put your hands on your hips. Drop your shoulders backward and reach for your heels and drop your head back. Hold for a couple seconds and then release.

8) Side bends: used to increase flexibility in the spine and rib cage this exercise improves posture and may even help you lose your love handles!

Action: Stand up with your legs a little wider than your hips, touch your right hand to the side of your head. Guide your head to the left until you feel a stretch along the right waist and shoulder. Hold and slowly return back to the starting position and repeat on other side.

Not only can stretching increase blood flow, improve cholesterol, but it can also prevent your body from any aches or pains. Therefore, by stretching, truckers can improve their quality of life and enjoy a full range of motion while they are driving their 18-wheeler.

TransWood is committed to protecting the health, safety and security of our employees and independent contractors while minimizing the impact of our operations on the public and the environment where we operate. Please, contact TransWood so we can start serving your hauling freight needs.