Courtesy of Hope Zvara, CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and yoga, movement and lifestyle expert:
Pelvic tilts are an easy and effective movement that anyone and everyone can do, especially truck drivers when dealing with back pain.
What are pelvic tilts?
Pelvic tilts are a super simple movement that asks you to tip the pelvis back and forward at varying degrees to help release tightness, as well as build resilience and strength in the pelvic area, lower back and abdomen.
Pelvic tilts are my number one go to move for just about anyone with lower back pain. They are a simple yet effective exercise for those seeking back pain relief.
As a truck driver time is of the essence. You have miles to get under your belt and a deadline to meet. So, I like movements where you can double up. That means moves that can be done safely while you are driving.
While sitting, many people struggle so much because their spine and pelvis sink back into the seat, taking the spine from an S curve to a C curve, and causing you back pain. And to further cause pain, that S curve is designed to help absorb impact. When you begin to lose that curve, the pain increases too.
Easy pelvic tilt instructions:
- Sitting in the driver's seat of your truck, sit upright and tall.
- Notice your pelvis upright, sitting with the bones underneath you.
- Take one nice full deep breath, in and out.
- Inhale, and work to arch your lower back away from the truck seat. Feel your belly drop forward.
- Exhale, draw your navel in and round your lower back towards the seat.
- Inhale again and arch the back, really exaggerating the arch. Try to spread open the sitting bones underneath you and spill your belly in front of you.
- Exhale and breathe out fully, rounding out your lower back. Imagine tucking your tail bone between your legs.
- Repeat this for one to five minutes. As time goes on you should notice the stiffness dissolving and mobility increasing.
This simple move could be what prevents you from throwing your back out, or getting out of the truck stiff and immobile while you adjust from a sitting position to standing.