Ey up
I’m a new driver and i was wondering if there are any conditions that may arise as being a lorry driver?
I did a 2 hour refresher on a class 1 just doing reverses for 2 hours straight and my left elbow was hurting like a mofo but only for a few hours later.
Never done shunting so i dont know how much steering is involved but its obviously more than road drivers so im wondering if bad elbows develop over time or if its just me?
Have any of you developed any conditions?
cheers.
One condition I have noticed that seems to have developed over the years with lorry drivers is “bad attitude”.
You just need to read some of the threads on here to realise that! Always everyone else’s fault and never ever wrong. 
When you’ve been doing any job long enough you’ll get problems, if you’re starting out now they’ll be different problems to what those of around retirement age now have.
Where us old uns have suffered physically from the days of power unassisted steering and clutches, gearlevers of varying effort, serious hands on loading unloading load securing and covering routines (you want to try handballing 21 tons on then roping and sheeting in freezing rain), helped no end by sleeping across makeshift planks in a cramped unheated uncooled tiny cab.
Your problems in old age will more than likely be from another direction entirely, i’ll leave others to suggest what those might be but my suggestion is those who rule over you or are their most useful idiots of the day will be the biggest danger to you, my suggestion as to who that will be at any point will be to look at whom you may not criticise, the pointers are all there now.
dont be overenthusiastic about jumping out of or off the bed of the lorry , climb out and climb off. it’ll catch up with you eventually , mine are buggered after the years of abuse i put them through in my early days .didn’t start hurting till after i was 60 , been a complete sod for the last 3 years.
tony
If they give you an L.A.D. cabbed Albion Chieftain, don’t " ■■■■■■ the gear lever through into 2nd. ", because there is a protruding stud on the back wall to cause severe pain to your elbow when your hand slips off !! 
Regards John.
You’ll probably develop bad ears listening to all the mouths on sticks who couldn’t actually hack the job itself so then arse kissed or bluffed their way into easier and less demanding roles such as pretend trainers. Your ears will suffer as they regale you with tedious stories of how it was “back in the day”, and how drivers of today don’t have a clue.
Even though their last personal experience of a lorry was sometime in the last century.
In 1983/4 after 18 years as a HVG mechanic I switched to driving as my back and knees were bad and I thought I would have more problems later in life. No more back and knee problems with driving, despite what my workmates told me, but I did (and still do, despite being ‘retired’ from driving for 18 years) have left arm and shoulder pains from gearchanging. Something that wont affect many new drivers nowadays of course! It all depends on what manual labour is involved in any job really, any minor muscle strain now will haunt you in your later life for sure.
Pete.
ibby730d:
Ey upI’m a new driver and i was wondering if there are any conditions that may arise as being a lorry driver?
Bad backs, shoulder issues, weight related issues such as diabetes and sleep apnoea, sleep deprivation, loss of short term memory due to lack of sleep from either not getting enough daily rest to get a decent amount or from varying hours meaning you can’t develop a sleep pattern.
windrush:
In 1983/4 after 18 years as a HVG mechanic I switched to driving as my back and knees were bad and I thought I would have more problems later in life. No more back and knee problems with driving, despite what my workmates told me
Pete.
Whereas I had to quit being a mechanic when I knackered two discs in my back, got those sorted, started driving lorries, popped the one above those two about 5 or 6 years in and had 20 years of problems, finally ending up with emergency back surgery last summer. Got it sorted but a fortnight in a rental Merc running around Lincolnshire’s finest surface of the moon roads set me back again. Got signs I’m now possibly doing the same in my upper back/neck but fortunately all symptoms both in my legs and hands disappeared when I was on holiday. Going to run the 6 weeks of the annual sales out on a fairly easy night trunk that’s not causing me any issues and see where I’m at. Might be time to knock it down to a couple of days a week for a few months or even for a change of career.
old 67:
If they give you an L.A.D. cabbed Albion Chieftain, don’t " ■■■■■■ the gear lever through into 2nd. ", because there is a protruding stud on the back wall to cause severe pain to your elbow when your hand slips off !!Regards John.
He should be so lucky 
It plays havoc with me Chalfonts.
I never had elbow issues from driving anything especially mostly light power steering trucks.
But I did get a wrecked spine, which is a bit more than just a bad back, in large part by agreeing to carry out stupid amounts of manual handling often expected in the let’s say dregs levels of the job.
Knees - in & out of cabs/load spaces, uncomfortable seating positions, lifting and carrying.
Heart - irregular shift/sleep patterns, poor diet.
jakethesnake:
One condition I have noticed that seems to have developed over the years with lorry drivers is “bad attitude”.
You just need to read some of the threads on here to realise that! Always everyone else’s fault and never ever wrong.
Yes, i carn’t disagree with that. Chip on shoulder springs to mind but i wont comment which drivers on hear qualify for that award
remy:
old 67:
If they give you an L.A.D. cabbed Albion Chieftain, don’t " ■■■■■■ the gear lever through into 2nd. ", because there is a protruding stud on the back wall to cause severe pain to your elbow when your hand slips off !!Regards John.
He should be so lucky
The tipper control was usually mounted on the LAD rear cab wall, just at elbow height when hanging onto the gear lever, I also had a hole in the side of my left knee where it would catch the ratchet handle on the hand brake lever.
Tyneside
My two-penny worth:
I started years ago in a Bedford TK day cab with the bed on the shelf behind, a real bone shaker.!
Then into an Iveco flatbed rigid in a builders merchants, handballing 50kg bags etc. with a straight back using the legs.
Moving to a new company, various Volvos starting with an old Fh, moving on to various Globetrotters,
Then agency work , so different cabs,
And now, modern MANs and SCANIAS.
My point is that you have to adapt to the work and the cabs that you are given, don’t over-exert your body and limbs.
These days the creature comforts are a whole lot better than in the day, air ride seats, better suspension , etc.
What I’ve learnt over the years, is that your posture in the cab is all so important,
First off, you have to be comfortable, I have always sat in the seat with a straight back !! L
I see some drivers that sit like they’re taking off from Cape Canaveral !
In the past I did jump down from trailers, be they flats or curtainsiders,
my knees do ache sometimes, but that could also be from playing footie for years.
IMPORTANCE:
Comfort, adjust the seat, don’t be too far from the steering wheel, as I’ve said straight back
and as has been said above, use the ladders or side underruns to climb up or climb down from the trailer>
Me Bad !!! Still jump down
double post
used to have Scania elbow when i used to drive my old 111, getting it into 5 or was it 6 gear (bugger i’m getting old i carn’t remember) well it was a cross then up,(high first) you needed to be double jointed for that gear. Oh, not to forget frost bite… all glass all round and no night heater, was a little bit chilly doing nights out in the winter 
Sunburn - make sure you drive LHD and RHD to get an even tan.
ibby730d:
Ey upI’m a new driver and i was wondering if there are any conditions that may arise as being a lorry driver?
I did a 2 hour refresher on a class 1 just doing reverses for 2 hours straight and my left elbow was hurting like a mofo but only for a few hours later.
Never done shunting so i dont know how much steering is involved but its obviously more than road drivers so im wondering if bad elbows develop over time or if its just me?
Have any of you developed any conditions?
cheers.
Don’t ever hold on if you need a ■■■■ stop soon as pos in later life you could end up with serious problems .
OwenMoney:
Sunburn - make sure you drive LHD and RHD to get an even tan.
Love that cos it’s SOOO true
I’ve got a RHD car here and use it to top up the right arm