Hi all,
Just would be interesting to know from experienced drivers about professional health issues. And my question is: Did your choice to become professional driver affected your health and if yes in what way?
knees,my own fault when I kept jumping in and out without using steps,they are still ok[checked at hospital] to a certain extent but I get pain from time to time,and the usual that most suffer from when they don’t exercise,my weight, not really gross but a bit of a belly,little bit ashamed of it but only I can do something about it with exercise but have no motivation to do so,that’s it really
truckman020:
knees,my own fault when I kept jumping in and out without using steps,they are still ok[checked at hospital] to a certain extent but I get pain from time to time,and the usual that most suffer from when they don’t exercise,my weight, not really gross but a bit of a belly,little bit ashamed of it but only I can do something about it with exercise but have no motivation to do so,that’s it really
I’ve heard before about bad affect of jumping and not using steps so it’s already on my “not to do” list.
milesahead:
truckman020:
knees,my own fault when I kept jumping in and out without using steps,they are still ok[checked at hospital] to a certain extent but I get pain from time to time,and the usual that most suffer from when they don’t exercise,my weight, not really gross but a bit of a belly,little bit ashamed of it but only I can do something about it with exercise but have no motivation to do so,that’s it reallyI’ve heard before about bad affect of jumping and not using steps so it’s already on my “not to do” list.
Being a forkie in places with no ramps and no bays I was jumping on and off trailers all day. I’m sure it did my knees no good.
Truckman, diet is the major factor in losing weight, exercise isn’t.
albion:
milesahead:
truckman020:
knees,my own fault when I kept jumping in and out without using steps,they are still ok[checked at hospital] to a certain extent but I get pain from time to time,and the usual that most suffer from when they don’t exercise,my weight, not really gross but a bit of a belly,little bit ashamed of it but only I can do something about it with exercise but have no motivation to do so,that’s it reallyI’ve heard before about bad affect of jumping and not using steps so it’s already on my “not to do” list.
Being a forkie in places with no ramps and no bays I was jumping on and off trailers all day. I’m sure it did my knees no good.
Truckman, diet is the major factor in losing weight, exercise isn’t.
I’m wondering if it is at all possible to be a healthy truck driver after 10-20-30 etc. years of professional driving?
Not the easiest profession to be healthy in. Always been impressed by switchlogics in cab cooking videos. He does better than I do at home 
Some drivers are their own worst enemas, all some want to do is sit behind the wheel steering whilst the lorry does everything else, then waddle into a holding pen and polish the trouser arse to a even higher shine.
Unload themselves, even with an electric pallet truck? not my job pal.
Sack barrow boxes into a shop? nah mate i only undo doors or twist locks, worse case i might pull a curtain back.
Wash the lorry? splutter, aint my lorry mate.
Change a bulb? WHA’ !!!
most o the old boys I started with are now sadly gone… and in no order Cancer lung/throat smoking due to bordem /smokey motors.or stress ,heart attacks (overweight ,fatty foods ) diabetes problems brought on with circulation… bad knees from jumping down from trailers,bad backs from ■■■■ seats and unloading 2cwt bags…hands crippled due to vibration. hearing gone usually in one ear…the list goes on its good to see the younger generation try to change the lifestyle. I’m in my late 50s and unfortuanately I have a couple o the above conditions 
jimmy just as a note out of 4 good friends that started at driving near the same time …im the only one left alive …the other 3 were taken by the Big C all lung and throat. two smoked and one used to help in the shop doing brakes ,sometimes the loads were so dusty you could hardly see after tipping even with the windows up and went home covered top to toe in dust.
I think a lot the bad press about driving mostly comes from correlation not causation.
When it comes to diet, I eat the same stuff on the road that I do at home - but I’ve always cooked for myself and kept an eye on making sure it’s fairly healthy, and I also keep an eye on my weight. It’s a lot easier to lose 1kg than 10kgs!
For the physical side of the job, in my opinion, a lot of ■■■■■■■■■■ injury comes from rushing/cutting corners. Why go back to the cab and fetch your crowbar to bash a reluctant door latch shut, when it’s quicker to just slam your hand against the metal a few times… that sort of thing. Jumping down onto concrete, there’s no way that’s good for your knees, but it’s faster than walking to the back of the trailer and climbing down the ladder. Small things like them don’t really hurt you at the time, maybe a little sting or an “ouch”, nothing to kind of clue you in to the fact that you’ve done something bad - so you do them again and again.
When I was younger, I suffered through the recovery, surgery and still have problems from a dislocated shoulder caused by an accident. I was just about old enough when it happened that it scared me into being very cautious about how I treat my body. I’m quite happy for people to tell me that they think I’m being over cautious or a wuss - I probably am about some stuff, I’m probably not about other stuff. Either way, it’s my body.
The sitting down thing is pointed to a lot for drivers, but I’m definitely more active as part of my job than I was as an office worker.
When it comes down to it, it’s up to each of us to decide how much risk we’re willing to take.
albion:
Not the easiest profession to be healthy in. Always been impressed by switchlogics in cab cooking videos. He does better than I do at home
I like his vlog, hope his cooking helps him to stay healthy.
JIMBO47:
most o the old boys I started with are now sadly gone… and in no order Cancer lung/throat smoking due to bordem /smokey motors.or stress ,heart attacks (overweight ,fatty foods ) diabetes problems brought on with circulation… bad knees from jumping down from trailers,bad backs from [zb] seats and unloading 2cwt bags…hands crippled due to vibration. hearing gone usually in one ear…the list goes on its good to see the younger generation try to change the lifestyle. I’m in my late 50s and unfortuanately I have a couple o the above conditions
All this doesn’t sound good and I’m sorry about your friends. Looks like in this profession you have to be double cautious about your health and healthy lifestyle is a must, at least outside of work.
slowlane:
I think a lot the bad press about driving mostly comes from correlation not causation.When it comes to diet, I eat the same stuff on the road that I do at home - but I’ve always cooked for myself and kept an eye on making sure it’s fairly healthy, and I also keep an eye on my weight. It’s a lot easier to lose 1kg than 10kgs!
For the physical side of the job, in my opinion, a lot of ■■■■■■■■■■ injury comes from rushing/cutting corners. Why go back to the cab and fetch your crowbar to bash a reluctant door latch shut, when it’s quicker to just slam your hand against the metal a few times… that sort of thing. Jumping down onto concrete, there’s no way that’s good for your knees, but it’s faster than walking to the back of the trailer and climbing down the ladder. Small things like them don’t really hurt you at the time, maybe a little sting or an “ouch”, nothing to kind of clue you in to the fact that you’ve done something bad - so you do them again and again.
When I was younger, I suffered through the recovery, surgery and still have problems from a dislocated shoulder caused by an accident. I was just about old enough when it happened that it scared me into being very cautious about how I treat my body. I’m quite happy for people to tell me that they think I’m being over cautious or a wuss - I probably am about some stuff, I’m probably not about other stuff. Either way, it’s my body.
The sitting down thing is pointed to a lot for drivers, but I’m definitely more active as part of my job than I was as an office worker.
When it comes down to it, it’s up to each of us to decide how much risk we’re willing to take.
Agree. To be as active as possible, and to use any opportunity to exercise, by this I don’t mean doing push ups, although nothing wrong with that, but to do at least some physical work, not for someone but for yourself, for your health, if people would think like that we would have more healthy drivers. Obviously in some multidrop jobs this is not an issue at all.
Forty-three years of lorry driving has left me partially deaf in left ear. Ankles swell up during a ten day trip, left one first,and take a four day break to go back to normal. Finger joints ache terrible in cold weather and made me give up roping and sheeting seven years ago. Had lots of bangs and bashes but recovered from them all with just scars to show. I eat rubbish most of the time but cycling keeps me in half-decent shape.
Not sure if related to truck driving as a profession, but myself and a few others that I know, prostrate cancer. maybe just a case of knowing lots of truck drivers rather than lots in other jobs but it seems that quite a few ex truckers I know/knew have got or died from of it . I can’t recommend having the test done enough. Also, without doubt the knees, with jumping down rom trailers etc. Type 2 diabetes is also fairly common. Until a few years ago I was a branch secretary for the TGWU/Unite and all the claims for ill health grants etc came through my desk so I was kept notified of ongoing illnesses among my members.
Sleep deprivation is a big factor in ill health. It’s noted to shorten lufe expectancy in shift workers. Factory workers usually have a week or two on each shift pattern. What chance for those who swing between night/day/night within the same week. Broken sleep for ferry moves?
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It is possible to stay healthy but…you have to keep at it. Only 5’8’’ so a relative short arse but 15 stone yet have a very low body fat index and a six pack. Much as it may sound odd, i keep two sets of dumbells in the locker and each eve do as much a workout as is possible, quads/bi’s/tri’s/shoulders ect and use the gym when at Reims or back home. Eating healthy is the other key part, avoiding the salt, fat and msg by cooking for yourself is a must. I visit a cafe on my regular run once a week but apart from that i do breakfast /lunch and eve meal myself. I live on oats, protein bars, rice, pasta, chicken and peppers plus bottled pasta sauce which is basically all tomatos , also i dont smoke or drink. We do a lot of handball work at garden centers and although it may sound sadistic i enjoy the free workout. Your health and fitness level is what you make it…
Sleep depravation, memory loss, diabetes, back problems, melanoma are all common in truck drivers.
Juddian:
Some drivers are their own worst enemas, all some want to do is sit behind the wheel steering whilst the lorry does everything else, then waddle into a holding pen and polish the trouser arse to a even higher shine.Unload themselves, even with an electric pallet truck? not my job pal.
Sack barrow boxes into a shop? nah mate i only undo doors or twist locks, worse case i might pull a curtain back.
Wash the lorry? splutter, aint my lorry mate.
Change a bulb? WHA’ !!!
I agree. I’m always trying to find stuff to stay active and if it’s a handball I’ll just crack on with it. Mind you I had 14t of bags of concrete for a site in Wimbledon the other week and I wasn’t saying handball was a great idea by the end of it 
But yeah uts not generally an active job at all so anything to get the heart and limbs moving isn’t a bad thing IMO
Conor:
Sleep depravation, memory loss, diabetes, back problems, melanoma are all common in truck drivers.
That’s interesting, I have never heard people mention memory loss. How is this connected to truck driving? Do you think it’s stress and long periods of concentration to blame for?
milesahead:
Conor:
Sleep depravation, memory loss, diabetes, back problems, melanoma are all common in truck drivers.That’s interesting, I have never heard people mention memory loss. How is this connected to truck driving? Do you think it’s stress and long periods of concentration to blame for?
I have no idea, just throwing out an idea. They now say diesel is potentially a factor in the formation of Alzheimers, so memory loss at a more basic level wouldn’t be a big leap.
Mr A died of Alzheimers/dementia ( never a proper diagnosis) and he spent his entire life round engines. Probably means I’m screwed since I’ve been getting in wagons since I was 3.