Good-N-Tight 1 Minut Moves Blog Mother Trucker Yoga

4 Quick and Simple Exercises with the Good-N-Tight Ratchet Strap Tightening Handle 

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4 Quick and Simple Exercises with the Good-N-Tight Ratchet Strap Tightening Handle 

When you are a truck driver, time is of the essence. And either you have a lot of time, or you have none. But there are moments throughout your day where you can sneak in a few quick moves to help you feel better, wherever you are with your Good-N-Tight Ratched Strap Tightening Handle handy. The Good-N-Tight is amazing when you don’t want to throw out your shoulder or back tieing down a load and gives you three times the leverage. And as my husband always says, “work smarter not harder”. This is one tool you definitely want to get and have handy anytime you need to use a ratchet strap.

But this blog isn’t about how to use this tool for securing your load. It’s about how to double down and use this tool to help you feel better, whenever you are with small simple moves you can do it anytime, anywhere. These four simple moves are perfect for those in-between moments when to help reduce stiffness, bring a little energy back into your body, stretch, and strengthen so you don’t throw your back out getting in and out of the truck (it happens).

Here are 4 Quick and Simple Moves You Can Do With The Good-N-Tight:

  • Good-N-Tight Oblique Side Bend 

This is a great move to help tone your waist and both stretch and strengthen your lower back, hips, and obliques. 

  • Step your feet wider than hips-width apart. 
  • Point your toes forward and square your hips.
  • With your Good-N-Tight in hand reach your arms up overhead. 
  • Relax your shoulders down and soften your front rib cage down as well. 
  • Take a deep breath in and gently slide your hips to the right as you lean your upper body and arms to the left. 
  • Press your arms straight and reach through the Good-N-Tight, like you were to stamp it on the wall next to you. 

VERSION 1:

  • Hold this for 5 breaths, and on the exhale come back to center and repeat the opposite side. 

VERSION 2:

  • Inhale press your hips to the right and tip your upper body and arms to the left. 
  • Exhale return to center, pulling your hips back first and your upper body to sit on top. 
  • Repeat the opposite side: Inhale to lean, exhale to return. 
  • 5-10 times on each side. 

Oblique Stretch Tightening Handle

  • Good-N-Tight Triceps Stretch 

This is a wonderful stretch to combat all that drive time opening your chest, toning your upper back, and releasing your shoulders. 

  • Standing tall grab the Good-N-Tight with your right hand and extend your arm up overhead. 
  • Bend your top elbow and tuck your hand behind your head, laying the Good-N-Tight down your spine. 
  • Roll the top tricep inward towards your head, turning your triceps to face forward (this may be difficult, especially if your shoulders are tight or bulky).
  • Tuck your left hand behind you to grab the bottom of the Good-N-Tight and work to roll your left shoulder open, feeling the shoulder blade press inward towards the spine. 
  • Stand even taller and breathe calmly for 5 to 10 breaths. 
  • Repeat the opposite side. 

Good-N-Tight 1 Minute Moves Tricep Stretch - Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

  • Good-N-Tight Chest Expander

Slouching, leaning, hunching, driving, and carrying often leave our body hunched forward and frozen in place. This quick move gives your body a break and counterposes all that rounding forward. Breathe easy and feel your chest, pecs, and shoulders open as your core gets a little wake-up call. 

Standing tall with your feet at a comfortable distance grab your Good-N-Tight.

Tuck your hands behind you and grab hold of either side of your new exercise equipment. 

Roll your shoulders in towards your spine as you drop them down away from your neck. 

Inhale drive your hips and pelvis forward as you pull your arms down and back. 

Gently look up and stretch! 

Hold this for 5 breaths, and repeat 3 to 5 times. 

Chest Expander Good-N-Tight Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

  • Good-N-Tight Calf Stretch 

Your calf is the hydraulic pump for your lower body to get blood flow back up the heart. Restricted calves inhibit the calf to do its job, making the heart have to work harder. Tight calves also cause knee and back pain. Let’s give the body some relief with a quick stretch! 

  • Place the Good-N-Tight on the ground.
  • Standing tall, place the ball of one foot up on the lip of your new exercise equipment, keeping your heel on the ground. 
  • Square your hips and slowly inch your free foot forward until you feel a stretch in your calf. 
  • Stand even taller and press down into your stretching heel as you hold the stretch for 5 to 10 breaths.
    Repeat the opposite side and do this stretch 1-3 times each day. 

Calf Stretch Good-N-Tight Mother Trucker Yoga BLog

Pushing yourself in a quick workout is important, but you should never allow yourself to just sit there because you think you need fancy equipment. Make sure you’re choosing quality over quantity. And look around your truck, what do you have laying around. What could be multi-purpose? And remember instead of thinking you need all sorts of crazy fitness in your life, think movement, where can I get more movement in? Along with your new Good-N-Tight moves get out and walk for an added boost to your body, mind, and spirit. Happy moving!

This blog post is in partnership with Bud and Tony’s Truck Parts! Bud and Tony are on a mission to give back to the trucking community and by teaming up with Mother Trucker Yoga, they are doing it, one move at a time. Check out more about Bud and Tony over on their site: www.BudAndTonysTruckParts.com

bud and tony's truck parts logo

Top 3 trucker injuries and how to avoid them blog post mother trucker yoga image

Top 3 Trucker Injuries: And How To Avoid Them

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top 3 trucker injuries mother trucker yoga blog image

Photo by Seb Creativo on Unsplash

Top 3 Trucker Injuries: And How To Avoid Them

There are many benefits to working as a long-haul driver (or trucker). However, the nature of the work sometimes means that you are susceptible to specific injuries, which, if not treated appropriately, could mean you have to take a lot of time off work. Not only could this lose you money, it means you won’t be able to get behind the wheel and do what you love for a little while.

With that in mind, here are the most common injuries that truckers have to deal with.

1: Sprains

Whether you are regularly lifting heavy cargo or attempt to do a two-person job alone, it’s relatively easy to sprain your wrist. However, a sprain can be incredibly painful, and if left untreated, can cause severe damage to your wrist/hand.

2: Back/Neck pain

Spending lots of hours behind the wheel, combined with poor posture, can lead to many back and neck injuries, which can quickly worsen over time.

3: Repetitive Stress Injuries

Repetitive stress injuries are caused when you repeat the same task over and over again. For example, you could get an RSI through how you hold the steering wheel or by sitting in the same position for too long. This can lead to painful swelling and inflammation.

However, there are several steps you can take to minimize the risk of injury moving forward – keeping you happy, healthy, and behind the wheel!

This includes:

Participating in Yoga. Yoga is a great way to remove any tension in your body and is also a great way to unwind after an incredibly stressful day. It can also help you recover from an injury and relieve the pain you may be holding in your neck, back, or shoulders.

Visit a chiropractor. There are numerous different ways in which you can take better care of your body – many of which can help you recover from injuries quicker or reduce the chances of getting injured in the first place. For example, you could arrange a visit with a chiropractor. When you visit a Chiropractor, you can treat injuries in your neck, back, and shoulder muscles, alongside reducing inflammation in your body. 

 

Working out. In addition to yoga, you should ensure that you include plenty of exercise into your routine. This is a great way to ensure that you spend time outdoors and positively impact your physical and mental health. Whether you work out with others or alone, you should spend at least 30 minutes a day exercising. 

 

Practice good posture. As mentioned previously, many of the above injuries are caused a result of poor posture. Therefore, you should work on improving your posture wherever possible. When sat in a truck, you should ensure that you have appropriate lumbar support and that your knees rest lower than your hips. You can find more guidance on proper driving posture here.

Taking regular breaks. Another way you can minimize the chance of getting injured when driving is by taking frequent breaks. Though the rule varies depending on the area you might be driving in, drivers are expected to have at least 11 hours rest after driving – but long journeys should include smaller breaks throughout the day.

 

Check out more great articles from Mother Trucker Yoga: 

How Chiropractic Can Help Truck Drivers https://mothertruckeryoga.com/2020/10/09/how-chiropractic-can-help-truck-drivers/

Benefits of a Chiropractor for Travel https://mothertruckeryoga.com/2020/10/13/benefits-of-a-chiropractor-for-travel/

Hot to Have Perfect Posture: VIDEO: https://youtu.be/kI0bTvP0KOg

STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream Wake Up Feeling Great

Mother Trucker Yoga blog The Benefits of Working Out with Others

The Benefits of Working Out with Others

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The Benefits of Working Out with Others

When you work out, you have the choice to do it alone or with others. Some people are lone wolves who would much rather do it alone, but working out with other people has some excellent benefits too. You can choose to work out with a friend or exercise in a group when you join a class or even a club or group that’s been set up for the activity that you enjoy. When you choose to work out with others, it makes it a more social experience, which can deliver a few different benefits and could even help you to be healthier.

 

Better Accountability

 

Getting fit with other people can be a great idea if you struggle to hold yourself accountable. It’s often far too easy to just decide not to go to the gym or do that workout when there are other things you could be doing instead. If this sounds like you, you could benefit from exercising with other people. When you have others who are counting on you to turn up, it makes it more difficult to decide not to go. You don’t want to disappoint anyone, especially if they’re your friend and they’ve made the effort to show up for you.

 

More Fun

 

For a lot of people, working out with others is just more fun. When you exercise alone, it can be peaceful, but you also might just find it kind of boring. If you prefer someone to talk to while you work out or even just someone whose company you can enjoy while you both get on with your workout, it can make your workouts more interesting. Attending a class like those offered by Fitness 19 can be a lot of fun too. When you’re surrounded by other people, it raises the energy in the room. Plus, it can help you to feel less self-conscious if everyone else is doing the same thing as you.

 

Safer Workouts

 

Working out with someone else can make your workouts safer too. For example, if you’re lifting weights at the gym, you’ll have someone there to spot you. You will be able to do exercises that you might not have been able to do on your own, which means that you can diversify your workouts more. And if you choose to work out with a personal trainer, in a class or just with someone who’s a little more experienced than you, you can learn new things under someone else’s instruction.

The Benefits of Working Out with Others MTY Blog couples walking

Push Yourself Further

 

You might feel inspired to push yourself further if you’re working out with someone else. You can motivate each other to keep going and complete your workout so that you don’t give up before you should. Working out together can also encourage you to get a little competitive. Some healthy competition can push you to try and do better so that you beat the other people you’re working out with.

 

Start working out with other people if you want to get more from your workouts and make your exercise more of a social experience.

6 Rules for Over the Road Fitness

6 Rules for Over the Road Fitness

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6 Rules for Over the Road Fitness

 

The idea of over the road fitness is not the norm for some. And for others, they think of it only as taking their traditional workout with them. And that is great. But for the rest of us, being smart and looking at how you can add movement, fitness, health into your day, even while doing what you always do is what I call over the road fitness. And fitness in your everyday life!

 

Long drives can trigger multiple health issues! Old News!

We can pull through the long-distance travels effortlessly!

Good News!

Let us take look at

“How can we avoid backache on the way?” Back pain is not new news, but the reality is there is a large group of people who have back pain, or any pain and it doesn’t bother them enough to make a change. There is a story that a mentor told me some years ago. 

 

There was a cat laying on a nail crying meow. 

And the owner’s friend asked, “why is the cat meowing?” 

And the owner said, “oh, she’s laying on a nail”. 

And the friend said, “well, why doesn’t she just get off the nail?” 

The owner said, “Because it doesn’t hurt that bad”. 

 

The moral of the cat story is some people’s pain is only bad enough to complain about it. They don’t actually want to do something about it. Where is your pain? Where is your desire for being healthy and improving your fitness? We won’t change anything we don’t want to change. Here are a few road rules to help you stay healthy, fit, and happy while traveling, driving, rolling down the open road. 

 

Forestall the trigger

Each time you enter your car or any vehicle, open your door wide. Use your hand to hold the seat, keep your back straight, bend your knees, and take your seat at your near edge of the seat while facing the vehicle. Then, in one move, lift and swing your legs together and place them on the car’s foot-mat.

 

Adjust your seat accordingly.

You just can’t fix your seat where you can see everything clearly to feel like a boss on the road and let your back handle all the discomfort in the world.

Setting your seat at a height that your hips lie in the same height as of your knees is more befitting.

Are you in need of a new truck seat? Many drivers think they can’t afford a supportive truck seat. But can you afford years of pain, spinal damage, and discomfort from years of driving? Invest in yourself before things breakdown- that includes your body! Check out the AIR CHIEF STANDARD STYLE ON-HIGHWAY TRUCK SEAT from Bud and Tony’s Truck Parts.

Standard Features to this seat include:

Air Chief Seat Mother Trucker Yoga blog

  • 20” Wide Soft Seat Cushion
  • Height Adjustable Headrest (can be removed)
  • Fully Reclining Backrest
  • Triple Chamber Air-Lumbar Support System
  • 3-Position Seat Cushion Extension & Tilt Adjustment
  • Fore & Aft Slides (7 Inch Tracks)
  • Poly-Dynamic Air-Suspension™
  • Integrated Isolator
  • ICP -moves with Suspension & Isolator
  • Bellow

 

 

Relax Your Body

Easy Stretches for Travel with Mother Trucker YogaDo not sit like a statue and try checking regularly, reminding yourself to relax your arms or legs while driving. Not only will it trigger back problems but will also hamper with blood circulation. Muscle cramps and stiffness. Let’s be honest, we get lazy and even though we can move while driving, we don’t. So make it a point to move more while driving. Need help getting creative with movements? Check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s Audio Easy Stretching for Travel: Safe Yoga While Driving Download.

 

 

Arms position and pedal distance

Your arms should be bent at 20-30 degree angles while your legs should bend at a 45-degree angle. It will prevent you from slouching and support your spine. Look for your sweet spot and commit your driving for a lifetime to it. This may require you to purchase additional support tools for your truck or vehicle. 

 

Lumbar Support

This invention is no less than a blessing for people suffering from backache—use quality lumbar support to keep your back in a right and comfortable position. BackShield is lumbar support designed for a comforting cushioning effect to your back and improves your posture. It is conveniently portable and can nicely fit in cars, trucks, and R.V.s. Purchasing yourself a BackShield is a profitable investment for your lifetime. Use our code at checkout: MTY10

In case you don’t want to buy lumbar support, you can roll a towel and place it in the back near the lumbar vertebrae. But take it from me, it won’t work like a BackShield. 

BackShield for RV Driving

Mirror Positioning

Position your mirror at the right angles to avoid unnecessary twisting and turning of your neck and back. And when you look out at your mirrors use your whole body, look at that mirror peek as a movement for your body too. 

 

Other Important Points

Take small intervals

If you travel a long distance, it will help your body relax from stiffness in your muscles. Stretch your body, walk for a few minutes, and restart your journey.

Hydration

Keep yourself hydrated on your way. Generally, our mind and body are on autopilot mode while driving, and our blood pressure tends to lower down a bit, and we start to feel off. To maintain your blood pressure, you need to hydrate your body frequently to stay in a conscious state and a good mood.

Music Therapy

Listen to your favorite music album. It will help your nerves to calm down and relax your entire body.

Fuel your body

Don’t let your stomach starve. Give it proper nutritious food because, “When the tummy is happy, nothing is crappy!” when you are in a good mood, it will fight the stress hormone released in your body.

Drive Safely

Last but not least,

“Drive Cautiously”

“Follow the traffic rules.”

“Don’t get a ticket for speeding.”

 

Being fit is not an overnight change. And in my mind, it’s not based on weight, size, or gender. It’s based on how you feel. So ask yourself: “how do I feel?” And don’t be afraid to answer. So many people deny that they need to work harder, improve themselves, and pay more attention to their fit-ness in life. These road rules are meant to help you see the options available. You probably noticed that the rules above are not based on squats or hundreds of push-ups daily or running a couch to 5k. These are rules to help you improve the quality of your life! 

 

  • See more clearly where the road is taking you. 
  • See more clearly where it is you want to go. 
  • See more clearly how easy it can be to change lanes in your fitness and health. 

 

This post is sponsored by:

Bud and Tony's Truck Parts

Bud and Tony have known each other for over 50 years (brothers – from another mother you could say) and have been in business together for over 30 years. They have always believed in our economy thriving and work hard to make sure it continues upward. They both know the trucking industry has and will continue to be the backbone of our economy. With this in mind, they came together to be a part of this ever-growing, ever-changing but steadfast, and traditional business that will always keep moving American and the world forward.

Travel Workout resistance bands mother trucker yoga blog post

A Truckers Workout: Resistance Bands Exercises

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Resistance Bands could be a trucker’s best workout.

Exercise comes in all forms and using resistance bands is one quick and simple way to stay fit!

Movement, working out, exercise, call it what you want, it and I (is that how you say it-the English language) have a very special relationship.

Movement is partly what saved me from a life strangling eating disorder. And when I’m not moving, long story short, it is often a slippery slope to the land of sorrows, depression, and anxiety.

And there is something so amazing about feeling strong, feeling alive, feeling in my body.

I love exploring movements, I love being creative and pushing myself in a way that can best serve my body.

But too much of anything can be a bad thing-even exercise. As I get older I’m more conscious of my joints, my bones, and trying to stay pain-free, not just trim and fit.

And about two years ago I took a very bad fall and it landed me a slow recovery and a body that felt like it was well into it’s 70’s or 80’s. Muscles wouldn’t let go of the trauma and I started to develop imbalances that were wreaking havoc on my body I fought so hard to keep living in.

Rediscovering resistance bands was one thing that jump-started my body’s recovery and really began to heal my injuries and imbalances without pushing it too hard (and I had no intention of being as big as the Incredible Hulk).

In my eye’s resistance bands are a very unappreciated piece of exercise equipment. So many get sucked into believing that the more expensive the better, and then never use it. But truth be told, bands are great, think of them as one step up from bodyweight exercises and super nurturing to your joints!

resistance bands easy workout guide blog post mother trucker yoga

10 Benefits to a resistance bands workout:

  • 1) They improve the quality of your exercises.
  • 2) They help to focus your control, form, and function.
  • 3) They recruit your stabilizing muscles.
  • 4) They’re fundamental for functional training.
  • 5) A great alternative to machines.
  • 6) They’re lightweight.
  • 7) They’re designed for compound exercises.
  • 8) You have control over the angle.
  • 9) They help you feel your muscles working or not working
  • 10) They work your muscles differently than the use of free-weights

Variety is the spice of life. Stop thinking you have to do the same old thing every day. You can easily add in a resistance bands workout that lasts 5 minutes and you can get an amazing workout in no time!

How do resistance bands work?

Unlike weights, resistance bands don’t rely on gravity. The more you stretch the bands, the more they resist your movement, want to work harder, increase the stretch in the band. That means that if you work with a free weight you can only go as far as your joint will allow, but with a band, create more resistance and you have just increased your workout. And I love resistance bands because you can get creative, way more creative than you can with weights.

Here are some of my current favorites when it comes to working with resistance bands.

Resistance Band Exercises

Foot Work with Resistance Bands

Place a tied resistance band about the length of your forearm and place it over the balls of your feet. Stretch the band just enough so there is no slack. Keeping a tall body (no rib thrusting or booty pushing), start to march in place. Really work to lift your knee without leaning back or tipping forward. March in place 30 times.

Next ground into one leg and keep a strong neutral rotation on the leg (pit of the back of the knee pointing back and on dumping into the hip), engage your glute, and press out with the opposite leg for a lateral lift. Think about kicking out with the heel, not the toes (almost like internal rotation). Do this 10-20 times on each side.

Resistance Band Arm Workout

Standing strong in neutral, feet grounded and no rib thrusting. Place your fists inside the tied off resistance band. First, anchor your elbows at your sides and press out with both fists (the movement comes from the elbow) on an exhalation.

Try this for 10-20 times. Next to keeping your upper body strong and stable pull one fist up and one fist down, like your arms, are marching in place. Do this 10-20 times. Finally, pull your fists diagonally and then back to center 10-20 times. Notice which arm is stronger and tune into making sure you don’t dominate the movements with that stronger arm.

 

Resistance Band Exercises for Hips and Glutes

This was a lifesaver for me because my left hip and hamstring weren’t cooperating and my right glute was weak (very unstable pulley system). Place the tied off resistance band around your ankles (shoes optional) and walk 30 paces forward and back in the following ways:

  1. Wide Monster Strides (pull the band as wide as you can comfortably and walk forward and back)
  2. Normal Walk (Walk in a normal hips distance and stretch the band with enough resistance when you walk)
  3. Diagonal Walk (Step to the right one foot at a time, then to the left, alternating forward and back)
  4. Sideways Walker (Create a slight squat and step foot to foot to the right, then to the left)

Leg Strength with resistance bands Mother Trucker Yoga blog

So many think their workout has to be at the gym in workout clothes and X minutes long to be “worth it”. But here’s the thing, I carry my bands with me in my car. Yes, I do a three-minute workout here or there and it all adds up! To step out of the box, you have to start to think out of the box!

And you might as well add resistance bands into that thinking too!

Don’t have bands? I got you covered! Grab this kit and join me! 

Want more great moves like these? When you buy our mini travel resistance bands kit you get: 

  • One Large Physical Therapy Grade Resistance Band (Medium or Heavy Resistance)
  • Two loop bands with varied resistance
  • Door Loop to attach your bands to your truck cab door or door at home for an easy portable workout
  • 13 Page Resistance Bands Guide for easy go-to workout ideas!
    Mother Trucker Yoga Resistance Band Travel Set - Medium

    Perfect travel workout resistance band set.

     

And after a great day of movement with your new-found love of resistance bands. Don’t forget to help your muscles recover with our exclusive pain relief cream made for drivers… STIFF Mother Trucker.

STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream for Travel

Plantar Fasciitis Mother Trucker yoga blog

What is Plantar Fasciitis & What to Do About It

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What is Plantar Fasciitis & What to Do About It

 

I never had ANY issues with my feet until I was pregnant. Plantar Fasci.. Who? And it was right about that time that I began my journey of diving into the body. Not yoga poses. Not fancy exercises, but how the body moves and why it moves the way it does. How we are an adaptation of our environment over time and things don’t necessarily happen to us, they accumulate within us. 

 

To be honest, you don’t catch plantar fasciitis like you do an airborne virus. Your body moves or doesn’t move, it adapts to the environment you put it in and it responds. When your muscles scream, cramp, tighten, clench, sag, freeze they are responding. The question is, are you listening? 

 

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

 

But what IS plantar fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis means the inflammation in the muscular band around the sole, which supports the arch. It is the main reason for pain at the bottom of the heel. And that plantar tendon is then connected to your achilles tendon, which then connects in with your calf muscles, to your hamstrings to then your sacrotuberous ligament and so on (that was a mouth full). My point…everything is connected. Our bodies are not separate parts, we are not parts, we are whole. And when we are in pain, like foot pain, we cannot just look at the area screaming. We must step back and look at the entire canvas and how that canvas moves or doesn’t move. If someone was to be holding a gun pointed at another who would be screaming, the shooter or the victim? The victim is the bottom of your foot, the persecutor is the cause of it. 

 

In modern busy lives, one is always on his feet. Our heels are constantly under the pressure of our daily life hustles. This pressure ultimately damages or tears your foot ligaments resulting in pain and stiffness under the sole. And furthermore, the long bouts of sitting, tightening of the calves and hamstrings coupled with extreme fitness shortens and tightens those areas causing a pulling and aggravating pain. 

 

Causes of Plantar Fasciitis

During the later months of pregnancy, women carry a lot of weight on their feet and are more at risk for Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Men and women between the age group of 40-70 years and majorly women among them are at higher risk for Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Obese individuals, due to high pressure on their heels and repetitive tensile overload from walking, standing, or squatting, are more prone to the inflammation of the muscle band around their heels.

 

Certain activities or exercises that include running, dancing on heels or ballet dancing, skating, aerobic dance, inadequate stretching, or walking long-distance without a proper pair of shoes, etc.

 

Pronation (walking in a way that your whole body weight tends to be on the inside of your foot) is one major cause of Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Long term sitting with minimal bouts of movement, stretching or activity. 

 

People with structural foot abnormality (Foot Mechanics) like flat feet, protruded, or extended heel bone or high arches usually suffer from Plantar Fasciitis. Weak plantar flexor muscles and intrinsic muscles of the foot are the bio-mechanic causes of Plantar Fasciitis.

Certain occupations that involve excessive use of feet or dynamic jobs like teachers, factory workers, police, labor, etc. are at higher risks.

Heel spurs were implicated as one of the causes of Plantar Fasciitis. It was later clarified that this is a very weak association and may not necessarily be a cause of Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Symptoms

 

Stabbing pain and tenderness in the heel is the typical symptom of Plantar Fasciitis.

The pain can be triggered by a long period of standing.

The pain generally kicks off after exercise as the pain flares up due to increased irritation or inflammation but doesn’t show any symptoms during exercise.

The nature of pain may vary from person to person. It can be dull or sharp, burning or ache in the heel.

The pain is commonly worse in the morning. You will feel a wave of pain the moment you take your first step out of bed. Climbing stairs would be the last thing you want to do as it aggravates the pain to a higher extent.

 

Management

 

Statistically, stretching is believed to give the best long-term results at home.

Calf and arch stretch

  1. Sit on the bed with straight legs.
  2. Take a folded towel (or a strap or belt)
  3. Hold the ends with both hands.
  4. Place the balls of your feet in the middle of the towel and pull back the towel/belt flexing the foot (place the towel over the ball of the foot).
  5. Hold this for 30 seconds with a rest interval of 30 seconds and repeat this 3 times. Or hold until tension passes.
Plantar Fasciitis - foot stretch mother trucker yoga blog

Seated Forward Bend with Strap to Stretch Arches, Calves, and Hamstrings

Downward Facing Dog

  1. Start down on all fours.
  2. Take a deep breath in and lift your knees.
  3. Without walking your hands back, press up through your arms and shoulders.
  4. Exhale and draw your belly in and lift your hips high.
  5. Let your heels sink towards the ground and “walk the dog” by alternating lifting and lowering each heel and bending the opposite knee. 
  6. If you are feeling tight, bend the knees (the goal is not to have straight legs, but to feel a stretch).
  7. NOTE: Try Half Downward Dog on the step of your truck. Does your truck step need an upgrade? In need of more grip? >Shop NOW<
Plantar Fasciitis Half downward dog mother trucker yoga blog

Half Down Dog on Truck Step

Plantar Fasciitis Downward Facing Dog Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

Downward Facing Dog

Roll the arch on our Massage Roller Stick

  1. Keep a ball or our massage roller stick by your bedside.
  2. Roll your foot on the ball three times for 1 minute with 30 seconds of the rest interval.
  3. Do this exercise after waking up and before going to bed.
  4. NOTE: Your feet may feel tender due to wearing shoes too frequently and not stimulating the muscles in the feet often enough.

mother trucker yoga massage roller feet

Manual Stretch

Before taking your first step out of bed, stretch and massage your feet manually with the help of your fingers.

 

Treatment

  • NSAIDs
  • Stretching
  • Formal physical therapy
  • Night splints
  • Custom orthotics
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Platelet-rich plasma injections
  • Botulinum toxin injections
  • Fasciotomy
  • Topical Pain Relief Cream – STIFF Mother Trucker

Stiff Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream in Hand

 

Thank you to BUD & TONY’S TRUCK PARTS for being the sponsor of this blog.

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Mother Trucker Yoga Blog - The Benefits of Capsicum for Natural Pain Relief

The Benefits of Capsicum for Natural Pain Relief

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The Benefits of Capsicum for Natural Pain Relief

 

When I set out to create my pain relief cream, I had a list of ingredients I wanted in my pain cream and a list of what I didn’t. For the past 20 years I have been using, searching, and sampling other peoples pain relief creams and some of them worked, some didn’t. But all of them had something I didn’t like about them (in the ingredients). I have been saying, “one day, I’ll make my pain relief cream” for nearly five years. But when you live in a small town in Wisconsin, when will you plan to meet a manufacture and a formulator and someone who knows how to create a legit product? 

 

But while assisting one of my mentors at a workshop and hearing what I do with Mother Trucker Yoga, the great question came out of their mouth, “have you ever thought about creating a product?” A few months later, after several samples, ingredient combinations, texture trials, container sampling, and label creation- STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream was born. 

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One of our favorite ingredients:

Capsicum or chili peppers are increasing their debut in the pain management department. You’ll find its chemical compound Capsaicin in many pain-relieving creams, gels, lotions, sticks, and sprays. Its topical formulation is an efficient pain management tool.

cap·​si·​cum | \ ˈkap-si-kəm  \

Definition of capsicum (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

1a: any of a genus (Capsicum) of tropical American herbs and shrubs of the nightshade family widely cultivated for their many-seeded usually fleshy-walled berries

— called also pepper

b: PEPPER sense 3b
2: an oleoresin derived from the fruit of some capsicums that contains capsaicin and related compounds and is used medicinally especially as a topical pain reliever

What is Capsaicin?

Capsaicin was first isolated from chili peppers or capsicum in 1878 in crystalline form. Capsicum except bell pepper has its hot and spicy flavor from this little fellow, a remarkable health-promoting substance. It increases gastric secretions and stimulates nerve endings.

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The Scoville Scale

However, its intense burning and irritating properties make it intolerable. Since it is a self-administered medicine, prescriptions are not required. Hence, to avoid the side effects from large quantity administration, a tool named Scoville scale was derived by W. Scoville which is used to determine the healthy amount of capsaicin in these medicinal preparations.

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Uses of Capsicum for Topical Administration

The topical formulation of Capsaicin is absorbed well through the human skin. It is conveniently useful in the relief of:

  • Minor aches and pains from daily life
  •  Joint pains from age or injuries
  • Backache from long-term sitting or driving
  • Strains from muscle overuse, or muscle underuse coupled with jarring movements
  • Sprains from exercise, work-related injuries, or life!
  • Stings and bites from  bees and insects
  • Chronic pain from injuries, stiffness, and lingering pain
  • Pains like sciatica and piriformis syndrome

Indications of Capsaicin

F.D.A. Labeled Conditions
  • Arthritis
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Fibromyalgia
  • Musculoskeletal Pains
F.D.A. Non-Labeled Conditions
  • Neuropathy Postoperative complications
  • Postherpetic neuralgia
  • Diabetic neuropathy
  • Migraine
  •  Postoperative nausea and vomiting
  • Psoriasis

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Mechanism of Action

Capsaicin works in topical administration, although its exact mechanism has not been elucidated yet.

Capsaicin is a neuropeptide-active agent that renders the pain-sensitive areas insensitive to the pain sensation by depleting and preventing the accumulation of pain impulse mediators (from peripheral to the central nervous system). With this phenomenon, painful sensations fail to travel to the Central nervous system’s pain-sensitive regions, which gives us temporary relief from the painful episode.

 

Precautions

Do not apply Capsaicin cream to the cuts and open wounds.

Wash your hand immediately after applying the cream to avoid unnecessarily touching the burn sensitive areas such as nose, eyes, or mouth, etc.

Always consult your physician for directions before using the cream to get desirable results.

 

Side-Effects

Like all other topical herbs, chemicals, treatments, and oils, there are precautions you wan tot take and things you want to consider when using. These side effects can occur due to excessive use or use in forbidden areas. They include:

  • Burning sensation
  • Itching or Irritation
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Pain 

These side effects are often short-term and are often associated with improper use (IE- private parts, eyes, mouth). Some notice this with its first use, but they will gradually fade away after its continuous application. In our STIFF Mother Trucker formula, we are using just the right amount of capsicum combined with other soothing and cooling ingredients to give you the perfect combination for your muscles and skin. 

 

Read your labels on ALL your pain relief creams. Read your labels, many focus only on immediate cooling, but nothing to penetrate deep, nothing to do anything beneath the surface. That’s where STIFF Mother Trucker comes in. Let us be your number one solution for pain relief that hits you deeply! 

Ready to try the amazing benefits of capsicum and our other amazing all-natural ingredients??

Grab a tube HERE + get FREE Shipping + Free Stickers

Stiff Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream for Truck Drivers

Sciatica Relief Hope Zvara and Mother Trucker Yoga Blog

5 Exercises for Sciatica Pain Relief

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Several years ago I had sciatica for nearly a year straight. I was seeking sciatica pain relief in the worst way.

It hurt to bend, it hurt to sit, it hurt to stand, it hurt to sleep, it hurt to do just about everything. I thought to myself “is this how the rest of my life is going to be?” The worst thing was – I was a yoga teacher. Having never had any real physical injuries I began to seek relief and care. During my first visit to a chiropractor, we discovered that my pelvis was not level and probably for quite some time. Trying to put things back into place made for a very angry body.

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As someone early into teaching yoga I vowed to help others dissolve pain because no one should have to live with pain like this on a daily basis. Through improving my posture, building stability in my frame as well as building muscle and staying mobile slowly my sciatica disappeared. But over the years it tries to rear its annoying head and with my toolbox in place, I know exactly what to do to dissolve the symptoms and find relief once again.

If you have ever had it, you know it. That pain that can knock you off your feet. That pain can derail you dead in your tracks. That nerve pain that can be so excruciating that you are flat on the floor praying it will pass.

WHAT IS SCIATICA:

I think it is important to first describe what sciatica is and what it is not. Sciatica is a pain and nerve sensation that can travel through the glute down the leg, past the knee into the calf. Sciatica has a number of causes some of them being injury (to the lower back), ruptured disk, bulging disk, spinal injury, and spinal stenosis. Sciatica is most cases originates from the lower back, and most true sciatica cases are caused by spinal injuries or issues.

WHERE IS THE SCIATIC NERVE:

The sciatic nerve is a nerve that originates in the lower back on either side of the spine. It runs through the buttocks and into the hips before branching down each leg. In some cases, the sciatic nerve runs under or through the piriformis muscle.

This nerve is the longest nerve in the body and provides sensation to the outer leg and foot. Sciatica is nerve pain that runs through the buttocks, down the back of the leg and into the ankle or foot.

WHAT IS PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME:

Piriformis syndrome although it feels similar they are not. Piriformis syndrome often originates from the glute (hip buttocks) area, where sciatica originates from the lower back.

Piriformis syndrome causes sciatica-like symptoms when piriformis muscle pinches down on the sciatic nerve and causes pain just like sciatica: burning, tingling, shooting pain especially when sitting. However piriformis pain often does not travel below the knee, whereas sciatica will.

Both sciatica and piriformis are not a condition as much as they are symptom caused by another problem: a herniated disc, lower back injury, tight piriformis/hip muscles, pelvis or hip pain/injury, or misalignment. While most try to treat the symptoms it is critical to look to the root cause and try to find relief starting there.

Dr. Mark Kovacs, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, adds that the best way to alleviate most sciatica pain is to do “any stretch that can externally rotate the hip to provide some relief.”

5 STRETCHES FOR SCIATICA PAIN RELIEF:

KNEES INTO THE CHEST:

Knees into chest stretch sciatica MTY Blog

FIGURE FOUR STRETCH

Figure Four Stretch Mother Trucker Yoga

FIGURE FOUR STRETCH SEATED

Walking Blog Post Mother Trucker Yoga

COBRA

Cobra MTY BLog Sciatica

STANDING CALF STRETCH

Calf Stretch MTY Blog Sciatica

SCIATICA PAIN RELIEF TREATMENT:

Stiff Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream is an excellent means for pain relief. Applying three to four times a day over the area of pain for immediate and long-lasting relief. The ingredients in Stiff Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream specifically target the affected area and provide cooling and warming relief, increased blood flow, and decreased inflammation. (Shop Now)

Stiff Mother Trucker Chart

Chiropractic care can be extremely helpful during a sciatica flare-up. When you find a good chiropractor he or she can help you realign your bones to give space for your body to begin to find relief. However, it is my own experience over the last 20 years working with thousands of people that chiropractic care alone will do very little for most. When the body is tight, stiff, and has created its own patterns in the fascia, resetting a bone using chiropractic practices can feel like a revolving door.

Consider coupling this form of treatment with massage therapy, yoga, stretching, or physical therapy to retrain your body to move, sit, and hold in different ways.

Ice treatments can be helpful immediately after you begin to feel the pain. Icing the glute if it is piriformis syndrome or the lower back and hip area if it is due to a lower back injury causing sciatica. Try 20 minutes of ice on and off for the first three or four days.

Heat is acceptable a few days after the flare-up begins. Using heat immediately may cause more aggravation.

SCIATICA PREVENTION:

Some people are unfortunately nearly 40% of people will end up feeling the effects of sciatica than others, and many it can be reoccurring.

 “People who suffer from acute or chronic back pain tend to be more susceptible to sciatica,” says Dr. Jeffrey N. Katz, professor of medicine and orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. “Your risk also rises if you’re obese, if you smoke, or if you’re sedentary.”

An article from Bud and Tony’s Truck Parts on back pain stated that:

  • Awkward and uncomfortable sitting postures
  • Lifting
  • Repetition
  • Body vibration
  • Leaning, hunching, and rounding
  • Prolonged sitting
  • Poor posture
  • Lack of physical fitness

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It is not always possible to prevent sciatica. However, some lifestyle modifications, increase in regular exercise(s), improving core strength and movements throughout the day can help. In addition, regularly walking, using supportive devices for driving and desk work like BackShield and supportive sleeping can significantly help reduce a person’s risk of experiencing sciatica again.

In general, regular exercise and building a strong core may help prevent sciatica. Additionally maintaining a good posture while sitting and standing is important, and may make people less likely to develop sciatica than people with poor posture. Consider working with Mother Trucker Yoga to learn how to improve posture, exercises you can do directly from the cab and driver’s seat of your rig to help prevent and keep sciatica symptoms at bay. And inside our platform, you’ll get detailed step by step videos of the moves above!

 

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Travel Exercise: Top Things You Need To Have

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Over time many of us collect fitness favorites and pile them in a corner to pull out whenever you want when you spend most of your time at your home. But for those that travel a lot and those that live over the road like a truck driver or even someone living the RV life, it is essential to consider what you need to keep you healthy. 

If you are living out of a backpack, a suitcase, or the cab of a truck, that lifestyle choice does not make it any less important to find time for fitness. But it does make it a bit more challenging to decide what to bring with when it comes to a workout or fitting in fitness each day. 

A lifestyle that keeps you on the move all the time can leave you feeling like working out seems like a chore or too complicated to take on. That’s mostly because everyone assumes that you need a lot of equipment and time to get yourself fit. But the truth is, you need a few basic things to stay fit while you’re on the road. 

As a trucker, it can be quite challenging to take out time to hit the gym every day as you’re on the road most of the time, and let’s be honest, pulling in an eighteen-wheeler to a strip malls parking lot is not always an option. To ensure that you’re on top of your fitness game, keep some basic things on hand to exercise whenever you get the time. Here, you’ll find some basic yet essential things to keep with you to help you stay physically fit. 

When I travel, I try to consider how much space I have to pack extras, what is the area I will have to do something, and what do I want to spend my time doing? One of the things I teach our drivers at Mother Trucker Yoga is you don’t need to overcomplicate fitness to be fit. Others tell you that you need their fancy, complicated and expensive equipment to stay healthy, but I’m telling you that it’s as simple as one, two, three, and you are off to the races…well off to a workout when you work with us. 

Five Things You Need to Exercise While They Travel:

1. Sneakers

Sneakers are essential to exercising. You might think that you can get it done with any shoes on, but that’s not true. Make a habit of keeping a pair of sneakers with you in your truck at all times. This way, whenever you get the chance, you can pause and get your daily exercise in using the most basic equipment that you can think of. Ensure that the sneakers you choose are comfortable, fit securely to your feet, and aren’t full of foam. Yes, I said foam, it may seem like a great idea to wear a shoe all day long with pillows in the bottom, but our feel needs to feel the ground beneath us. They need to move and be stimulated when we walk. 

Wear your steel-toed boots when you don’t want something to drop and damage your foot. Wear flexible, bendable shoes when you want yourself also to be flexible and bendable. 

I personally love ASICS, New Balance, Merrell, Brooks, and Under Armor. And when buying a pair of shoes, make sure you can try them on, walk around in them, and how they fit. This is a device that will be carrying your body around all day long. Don’t you think it should fit, right?

 

2. Travel Yoga Mat

Another essential item that you will need to assist you in your workouts is a travel yoga mat. They’re lightweight and don’t take up much space at all. They’re essential as they provide you with the right surface to do your exercises on. Since there’s very little space for you anyway, you can take the yoga mat outside and start working out on it, without having to worry about hurting your body. There are all different brands of yoga mats to consider, and some of my favorites are Jade, you can get it in various lengths, widths, and they are made out of recycled materials. When traveling, because you don’t know what the surface you will be exercising or practicing yoga on making sure your yoga mat is heavy and has enough traction, it won’t slip. So you don’t slip. 

3. Resistance Bands

Can’t get yourself to carry weights around with you as you drive your truck around? Who wants to stuff a set of hand weights in their suitcase when they travel around? Well, guess what? You don’t necessarily need them. Instead, you can invest in some resistance bands that can help you keep your body in shape. Resistance bands are great for strength training and can help you maintain your physical health. You can find some excellent resistance band kits at Mother Trucker Yoga to help you keep yourself fit. 

Resistance bands are a great way to tone up, build muscle, and strengthen joints. Different than using weights, resistance bands build up the connection between muscle and bone, rather than focusing on building bulk. When shopping for resistance bands, make sure you get a high-quality material like one made for medical use or at a physical therapy quality level. Make sure they are cut to a minimum of 6-feet, so you can do endless exercises. And you’ll want to get a door loop so you can double the number of activities you can do right from the door of your ride. 

Not sure where to find that. No stress Mother Trucker Yoga has that all figured out for you! Check out our band kits in their convenient travel bag and get our 11 page PDF guide so you can get to moving ASAP. 

Resistance Bands for Travel Exercise with Mother Trucker Yoga

4. Smartphones

Smartphones are things that everyone has nowadays. They’re essential even if you’re not into fitness. So, all you need to do with your smartphone is to help you place reminders about when you should exercise. You will also be able to watch videos on YouTube or read up on exercises that you can easily do while you travel. 

5. Bicycle

Cycling is a natural and essential physical activity that helps you keep in shape. You can easily place a bike in your truck that you can use when time allows you to. Get your bicycle out and not limit yourself to only views of the landscapes you see. Go out and explore all the routes that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Not only will you get your exercise in, but you will also feel much more refreshed than ever. 

Are there ways you can mount your bicycle to your truck? We’ve seen some great ideas from drivers mounting kayaks, bikes, and more to their rigs so they can stay active. We know you can too!

Don’t miss out on your exercise just because you’re always moving. Try to come up with ways to make sure that you incorporate some activity. Hopefully, the next time you’re out and about, you’ll be able to get your exercise in without having to worry too much about the equipment! 

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Topical Pain Relief Just for Truckers

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Topical pain relief just for truckers when they need it most.

Have you ever really looked at topical pain relief creams and noticed what they are made with? I have been in the health and fitness industry for nearly 20 years, and pain is one of the top complaints students have. When I stepped into the trucking industry it was no surprise that pain, physical pain were also a chronic issue for drivers as well. Except for a driver, stopping and getting out of their truck is not always the easiest or even possible.

Having swollen joints from arthritis, inflammation from an injury, or chronic stiffness from lack of movement can cause quite a bit of pain and limit your ability to move. Physical pain is a pain in the butt, and getting relief when you are a truck driver is not always the easiest.

You may already have tried over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, and other pain relief creams. However having used more than 30 different pain relief creams on and off over the years, I constantly found myself liking certain things about this one, and disliking certain things about that one. And don’t even get me started on the crappy ingredients some creams put in- why? Because they can.

Working with truck drivers it became very clear that there wasn’t anything specifically for drivers. And one of the number one complaints I hear from drivers is physical pain, stiffness, tightness, P-A-I-N.

What is topical pain relief?

Topical pain medications are absorbed through your skin. Most people are familiar with creams, gels, or sprays that are put directly on the site of the injury, pain, or joint.

Because the ingredients are absorbed through the skin, it is suggested that wherever you use the cream (gel) you rub in thoroughly and massage into the area of discomfort.

How often should a topical pain relief cream be used?

Harvard suggested that a topical pain reliever should be applied two to four times a day for the best results. And is best when applied near a joint.

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What ingredients are best to look for?

After countless searches, time, and time again Capsaicin (Capsicum) was noted as a front runner for topical pain relief. This was an ingredient I never came in contact with when it came to topical pain relief options in the yoga and fitness industry.

Capsaicin (kap-SAY-ih-sin) causes the burning sensation you associate with chili peppers. Capsaicin creams deplete your nerve cells of a chemical that’s important for sending pain messages. Capsaicin is most effective if used several times a day. When used topically you often feel a deep penetrating sensation that often lasts for what our testers said was hours. You may also notice a slight read area where it was rubbed due to an increase in blood flow.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine stated “Capsaicin is a powerful local stimulant that, with repeated applications, leads to persistent desensitization to pain. In each of these trials, the use of topical capsaicin produced statistically significant reductions in pain compared with the reductions in pain with the use of placebo.”

Peppermint has demonstrated anti-nociceptive and analgesic actions in multiple studies, especially with respect to its menthol constituent. For pain in a local area, the use of peppermint oil can aid in the relief of both pain and inflammation.

Arnica is a natural is a perennial plant found in the mountainous areas of Europe and North America that produce yellow-orange daisy-like flowers. Since the 1500s, the fresh or dried flowers of the arnica plant have been used for medicinal purposes.

A randomized study involving 204 people with hand osteoarthritis was published in Rheumatology International in 2007. It was found that daily arnica gel was as effective as daily ibuprofen gel, although neither treatment was compared to placebo. There also were minimal side effects with arnica.

Magnesium is an important nutrient. It has multiple functions within the body. These include:

  • regulating nerve and muscle function
  • supporting a healthy pregnancy and lactation
  • maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
  • maintaining optimum blood pressure levels
  • manufacturing and supporting protein, bone, and DNA health

One study done in the Journal of Integrative MedicineTrusted Source indicated that transdermal application of magnesium chloride on the arms and legs of people with fibromyalgia reduced symptoms, such as pain.

WebMD states that Menthol is a “medication” that is used to treat minor aches and pains of the muscles/joints (such as arthritis, backache, sprains). Menthol is known as a counterirritant. It works by causing the skin to feel cool and then warm.

These are just a few of the ingredients I researched and dove into knowing I wanted in my own pain relief cream. But more importantly, I wanted something natural, effective, and free of all the other junk.

When I started to dive into other topical pain relief creams, I really took notice of all the other “filler” ingredients, and working with a master formulated in the beauty industry she assured me that those ingredients do not need to be in there. And often those are used as “filler” ingredients.

Why should you have to read a label worried if junk ingredients are in there? Why should you have to worry that someone is poisoning you, or claiming something is “natural” when only one or two of their ingredients are?

You shouldn’t have to worry and you shouldn’t have to doubt.

First-Ever Topical Pain Relief Cream Just for Truck Drivers.

Mother Trucker Yoga is proud to introduce you to the first-ever Stiff Mother Trucker Topical Pain-Relief Cream made for truckers.

The perfect formula for pain on the go with no junky ingredients. But don’t worry you don’t have to be a trucker to use Stiff Mothe Trucker, everyone can benefit from our signature formula designed for those who need fast and immediate relief alongside long-lasting penetration.

Want to grab your bottle today?

Get FREE shipping for a limited time only and free samples to share with fellow drivers!

Stiff Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream MTY Blog

For more articles on pain relief, check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s recent article on back pain: https://mothertruckeryoga.com/2020/02/18/put-back-pain-in-your-rear-view-mirror/

And check out Bud and Tony’s article on back pain contributed to:

https://www.budandtonystruckparts.com/truck-driver-back-pain