As you age, you will have noticed your body is a little less ache free than when you were a child. Your spine, for example, loses water content as you get older. This means your invertebral discs will offer less cushioning, and they will begin to rub together and become inflamed. As an aging truck driver, you are going to begin to feel aches and pains in your back more frequently. One way you can reduce your pain while on the road is to choose a new truck seat, but what options are going to suit you best? These suggested features will help you choose the ideal seat design for your travels.
Cushioning
Because the discs in your back are no longer providing the cushioning you need, you need to find this comfort in the seat itself. There are two ways you can do this:
- Dense foam seat cushions. The denser the foam of the seat cushion, the more shock absorption it will have. This means that as you travel over the small bumps in the road, the foam will absorb the impact of the bump and reduce the impact on your spine.
- Suspension seating. Suspension seats use either air bags or springs to take the first impact of any movement in the road. As your truck wheels move over a road's unevenness, shockwaves move up through the truck body. A suspension seat absorbs the impact at the base of the seat before it gets a chance to get to your back.
Positioning
The second important factor to consider when looking at a new truck seat is how many ways the seat can be positioned so it fully supports your back. For example, does the seat you like have a back incline function? Just like in a car seat, sitting vertically is not comfortable when you are driving for a long period of time. Each person has their own level of comfort when it comes to a reclining seat, and truck drivers are no different.
Other adjustable parts of a truck seat that will make your back more comfortable are the lumbar support (keeps your spine in the correct position so the muscles aren't overworked) and the head support. While a head support does not have an obvious tie to back pain, know that if your neck muscles are having to work hard to keep your head in a good position, the tension in those muscles will also put stress on the muscles in your back because you will be tensing up your whole body.
If you want to remain comfortable while driving, you must have the right seat to keep your spine happy. Don't delay a seat upgrade any longer, because once you do your working day will no longer be an exercise in pain management. For more information, contact KAB Performance Seating or a similar company.
