Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/723417
September 2016 | Overdrive | 37 I t's long been known that the trucking lifestyle tends to be unhealthy because of bad diet choices and long periods of rela- tive inactivity. Studies in recent years have focused more on one element of inactivity – uninterrupted stretches in a seated position – that is tied to serious health problems for truckers and desk workers alike. Researchers have associated seden- tary behavior with about 35 chronic diseases and conditions, The Wall Street Journal reported last year. Some problems are interrelated, many having to do with obesity, sleep apnea and poor circulation. More specifically, the list includes issues such as accelerated biological aging, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and peripheral artery disease. "I think truck drivers are at more risks than most because they're sitting for that long period of time," says Michael Gleiber, an orthopedic spine surgeon with the American Academy of Orthopedic Sur- geons. Millions of desk workers are also at risk, but they're able to practice the most immediate preventive measure – standing up. Some now even use stand- up desks. Truckers don't have that option. Drivers have a tough challenge to avoid the back and circulatory problems associated with a seden- tary lifestyle, but there are ways to compensate. BY DEANNE WINSLETT Beat the seat Some of the musculoskeletal problems that accompany excessive sitting involve lower back pain, but also include shoulder pain and arthritis. September 2016 | Overdrive | 37