Driver
Setting up your cab to look after your body on long hauls
Nicola Tik
HGV driving means long hours in the cab, often on demanding schedules, and that steady load can leave your back, neck and shoulders feeling it by the end of a shift. How your seat and cab are set up makes a real difference to how you feel, both on the road and when you climb down. A few minutes spent adjusting things at the start of a shift is one of the simplest ways to ease the strain.
Most HGV seats have a suspension setting adjusted to your body weight, and getting this right is the foundation for everything else. When it is set for you, the seat absorbs the bumps and vibration of the road rather than passing them straight into your back.
Set this before you fine-tune anything else. If the seat bottoms out over bumps or feels like it is bouncing you around, the weight setting is worth checking again.
Start with height, raising the seat so you have a clear view of the road and mirrors without lifting your chin or hunching down. Aim for your thighs to rest roughly level, with your hips about level with your knees.
Check the pedals next. You want to press them fully while keeping a comfortable bend in your knee, rather than stretching your leg out straight.
For the backrest, ease it back from fully upright to somewhere around a 100 to 110 degree angle between your back and thighs. This tends to feel supportive without being rigid or so reclined that you slump forward to see.
Adjust the lumbar support so you can feel it gently filling the hollow of your lower back, without pushing you forward or arching your back more than feels natural. If the built-in support is not enough, a small rolled towel does a similar job.
Set the head restraint so its centre sits level with the middle of your head, close to it without needing to press. Then bring the steering wheel to where you can reach it with a relaxed bend in your elbows while your back stays against the seat, adjusting the tilt so you are not reaching up or hunching down to hold it.
Climbing in and out of a high cab is one of the most common moments for strain and slips, especially when you are tired at the end of a shift. Rushing it, or jumping down from the cab, sends a jolt through your back, knees and ankles.
You could try keeping three points of contact on the steps and handholds, facing the cab as you climb down, and stepping down rather than jumping. Taking those few extra seconds protects your joints far more than it costs you in time.
Long stretches in the same position are what tend to stiffen the body most, so the breaks built into your day are a good chance to move rather than just rest. Even a short walk around the vehicle and a few gentle movements help far more than staying in the cab.
Staying relaxed rather than gripping the wheel tightly, and keeping topped up with water, also make the hours feel easier on your body.
A gentle stretch when you stop helps release the stiffness that builds from sitting. Standing tall beside the cab, you could roll your shoulders slowly backwards a few times, then rest your hands on your lower back and ease into a small backward lean, only as far as feels comfortable.
If you would like to follow a guided version, VIDA has a short stretch video you can do at your own pace whenever you take a break.