Physiotherapy for drivers & delivery workers
Physiotherapy for Drivers — Back, Hip and Shoulder Pain on the Road
Driving combines everything the spine dislikes: a fixed position, whole-body vibration, and no opportunity to change posture. Add repeated lifting in and out of a van at every stop and you have the pattern we see constantly in Medway's drivers and delivery workers.
What we see most in drivers & delivery workers
Low back pain and sciatica
Sustained flexed sitting plus vibration increases disc loading; symptoms often worsen towards the end of a shift.
More on thisHip and buttock pain
Long periods of hip flexion shorten tolerance, and getting out of the cab becomes the painful moment.
Neck and shoulder tension
Mirror checks, reversing rotation and a seat position that leaves the arms unsupported.
Knee pain
Clutch work in manual vehicles and repeated step-downs from a high cab.
The problem is dose, not the vehicle
Two hours of driving rarely hurts anyone. Six hours with three stops does. The aim is to break the exposure into smaller blocks and to increase the load your back and hips can tolerate, so the same shift costs you less.
In-cab changes worth making
Small setup changes reduce the load meaningfully over a full shift.
- Set the seat back angle slightly reclined rather than fully upright, with lumbar support filling the gap
- Bring the seat close enough that the arms rest rather than reach
- Use every stop as a movement break — thirty seconds of standing extension beats nothing
- Get out of the cab before lifting rather than twisting from the seat
- Alternate which side you carry from where the round allows
Lifting on a delivery round
The risky moments are almost always the awkward ones: reaching into the back of the van, twisting with a parcel while stepping down, or carrying an unbalanced load up a path. We work on hip hinge mechanics and rotational control specifically for those positions, because generic lifting advice does not survive a real round.
Fitting treatment around shift work
We are open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm, which covers most shift patterns without needing a day off. If travel is genuinely impossible during a run of shifts, home visits are an option.
Common questions
Will a seat cushion or back support fix it?
It can reduce symptoms during the shift, which is worth having. It will not increase what your back can tolerate — that takes loading work.
Should I stop driving?
Rarely necessary. We usually manage it with in-cab changes, break strategy and rehabilitation rather than time off.
The pain goes down my leg — is that serious?
Leg symptoms need proper assessment. Most cases respond well to physiotherapy, but we check for the small number that need medical review.
Can I be seen outside working hours?
Our appointment times run from early morning to evening, six days a week. Check live availability online.