Nearly 65 million Americans report a recent episode of back pain, and some 16 million adults - 8% of all adults - experience persistent or chronic back pain, according to the George -town University Health Policy Institute. The American Chiropractic Association puts the number even higher, saying about 31 million Americans experience low back pain at any given time. Approximately one out of every five cases of acute lower back pain turns into recurring chronic back pain, which makes this a more serious concern. Chronic back pain can often and quickly diminish a persons quality of life. Back pain is prevalent in truck drivers, given their job duties and lifestyle. Numerous studies of truck drivers around the world have found that long hours behind the wheel seem linked to a higher prevalence of back pain than the average population. For a truck driver, chronic back pain can mean the inability to work and a loss of income. In fact, back pain is one of the leading causes of missed workdays in America. If a fleet has drivers suffering from back pain, it can mean fewer drivers to accommodate customers' orders, an increased risk for traffic accidents, as well as an increase in sick leave pay and health insurance costs.
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