The Dangers Of Whole Body Vibration (And What You Can Do About It)

Truck drivers are tougher than the average person. They have to be, to single-handedly control an 80,000 pound vehicle for 11 hours at a time on limited sleep. To stay safe and stand up for themselves in shady situations at truck stops. To muscle a truck through all kinds of awful weather conditions.

But no matter how tough you are, whole body vibrations might be taking their toll on your health.

The vibration your body absorbs every day when you drive might not seem like a big deal, but research suggests that it can impact you in more ways than you expect. Here’s a list of the risks your facing and some ideas to keep whole body vibrations from wrecking your health.

How Does Vibration Hurt Your Body?

Research suggests that whole-body vibrations can have a variety of scary side effects, including:

— Fatigue

— Insomnia

— Increased Muscle Tension

— Blurred Vision

— Stomach Problems

— Decreased Work Performance

— Early Degeneration Of The Spine

— Kidney Bruising

— Prostate Cancer

What You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk Of Injury

So what can you do to reduce the impact that vibration has on your body? Here are a few tips to try to reduce the discomfort and health problems associated with whole body vibration.

— Change position frequently while driving.

— Avoid twisting the torso while driving or idling, which can be harmful to the spine.

— Keep warm. Cold plus vibration increases both muscular pain and the risk of injury.

— Invest in a gel seat cover, which can help to absorb some of the vibrations.

— If possible, recline your seat up to 10 degrees.

— Make sure you have adequate lumbar support.

— Reduce travel speed if possible.

— Take frequent breaks to make sure that your exposure to vibration is not constant.

Sources:
Medical Daily
CDC
Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety