What do you guys do to avoid blood clots?
Posted by drakev6304@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 21 comments
Been driving for about 6 months now, doing food delivery, but I have pretty long distances and fewer stores to deliver to, sometimes 1-3 hours between stores, went from a super active and heavy lifting warehouse job to this, and in those 6 months I’ve already gotten two pretty rough looking varicose veins on the back of my left leg, and it has me worrying about potentially getting blood clots, what do you do to typically avoid that? Especially OTR guys who don’t really get out an handle their freight
Hot_Falcon8471@reddit
While driving I will do calf flexes to keep blood flowing. I’ll stop every couple hours and walk around the truck and do squats. I also own some compression socks that I wear on days when I know I’m gonna be sitting for extended periods and won’t be able to stop often.
TwoToadsKick@reddit
See a doctor dude
AllGodsMustDie666@reddit
Seconding this. Read the other comments too, OP. You're already more active than I am. I don't get much exercise (working on changing that) outside of parking in the back of the lot, some push ups, and going up and down a ladder a couple times a day. I drive for up to 7ish hours at a time and I'm 48. I don't have any varicose veins. See a doctor.
drakev6304@reddit (OP)
I’ve had one for a super long time, and just gained the other from driving, so they both aren’t from a 6 month period, I will definitely set up an appointment though
AllGodsMustDie666@reddit
Good to hear. I was having leg swelling that I blew off for longer than I should have and ended up being diabetic. Life is pain, blah blah blah. Don't sleep on your health.
trakr24@reddit
Dr visit for sure but 1-3 hrs of driving and then moving around is a bunch is perfectly fine. Big issue is the guys thst drive for 4-5 hrs straight every day, then most moving they do if fueling or going into the truck stop or warehouse.
If you do any manual labor, food service, flatbed, drop deck, etc, its not something you need to worry too much.
StonedTrucker@reddit
My FAA examiner told me i should wear compression socks and compression knee braces to help with bloodflow. I dont have any issues with it but sitting all day isnt great for anyone
Koochandesu@reddit
Plenty of hydration, low salt diet, intermittent breaks with walks, and if your general practitioner approves, 81mg low dose of daily aspirin.
ButterscotchNo3984@reddit
Longer drives may not be for you. I also had been doing physically demanding jobs and went to long haul. I had constant leg/back/neck pain for years. And after quitting it I’ve never been the same. I would be highly concerned with varicose veins that quickly.
greedybanker3@reddit
move. constantly. squats every hour. do 10 squats. other than that all you can do is be young and move when you can.
SOROKAMOKA@reddit
Ive been driving for over ten years. Others been driving for 30 sitting on their asses the whole time and never got blood clots. See a doctor
StandForAChange@reddit
Stretch. Walk. Run.
drakev6304@reddit (OP)
Does that really help even with prolonged sitting? I figured me delivering to the stores which is heavy lifting and walking/stretching would help avoid that but it seems not😂
TexasTangler@reddit
Walk/run as much as you can and as often as you can. It's the best way
StandForAChange@reddit
Realistically, what else are you going to do?
get the muscles active by walking/stretching or going for a run
stayzero@reddit
I’m not a driver, I work on the other side of the counter at your friendly neighborhood truck shop. But I’ve had issues with DVT and clots in the past.
Compression socks help a lot. I’m currently on blood thinners as well for the foreseeable future. Also, go to the doc, bro. Don’t mess around with this. This can kill you if left unchecked. Don’t go out like that.
Azzacura@reddit
Calf raises and half leg raises while driving (depending on your rig), and I also carry a resistance band to train my arms from time to time. I developed lots of varicose veins in my first 4 years of driving, but have gotten no new ones and none of the existing ones have progressed any further since I started doing this.
Assuming you have cruise control, here are some simple exercises:
Rock your feet back and forth from heel to toe, and extend it as far as you can both ways without pain
Feet flat, knees bent, raise your leg. 1 leg 10x, then switch
Instead of sitting with your feet firmly on the ground non-stop, try sitting occasionally with them sitting on a small obstacle (like a shoe) so they're in different positions. Not too long, just for a few minutes at a time so you'll feel muscles you don't usually feel. Rotate your feet to the side, or keep them vertical, whatever floats your boat. Weird is good, for short bursts
Outrageous_Law8210@reddit
Compression socks. Doctors will even recommend them.
Puzzleheaded_Volume3@reddit
Tumeric.
RollinHellfire@reddit
Back of the leg tells me perhaps the seating position is not entirely correct. Sure you have to move, run, stretch, do squats... but of you sit 3 hours in a horrible or barely survivable position... and then do it again and again and again, it'll leave a mark.
sunnypolarbear@reddit
Compression socks and a lot of walking