subject: 4 Tips on How NOT to Shovel Snow [print this page] 4 Tips on How NOT to Shovel Snow 4 Tips on How NOT to Shovel Snow
It's that time of year again! Holiday shopping, friends & family, big meals, egg nog, those seasonal arguments between uncles, andsnow.
As a service to the community this holiday season, and in remembrance of last winter's heavy snowfall, the doctors at Park Bench Chiropractic are issuing this winter weather advisory before the first flake even hits the ground.
Continue reading for the tips on how NOT to shovel snow:
1) Bend with your knees!
You know it, I know it, we all know we are supposed to bend and lift with our knees and not our backs. Still, plenty of us go out there and hunch ourselves over and do the heavy lifting with the muscles of our low back rather than the strong muscles of our legs. This pressure on the lower back can strain muscles and pull your vertebrae out of alignment and into a subluxated state and cause a sharp pain due to pressure on your nerves. Avoid that situation by lifting with your knees. When you get the snow onto your shovel simply bend your knees to get a lower center of gravity against the snow, brace the shaft of the shovel on your leg or knee, and then straighten your legs out. This will put the load on the shovel on your legs and spare your poor back.
2) Save "Twist & Shout" for the dance floor!
You might get into the routine where you are bending down and to the right to get a shovel-full, then rotating your trunk to the left to toss the snow to the side of the driveway. While this might seem the most efficient way to shovel snow, it isn't if you end up lying in the fetal position in the snow crying. To avoid an embarrassing situation like that just make sure you limit the rotational movements of the trunk and lower back to only when you are standing upright. Rotating your torso when you are bent over puts incredible stress and strain on the ligaments and the discs in your low back, and the wrong twist can leave you shouting.
3) Be a switch hitter!
You might be a right-handed or a left-handed person, and you will want to favor one side while you shovel. When shoveling for more than 15 minutes, though, you will want to use the other arm and hand for the following 15 minutes. Keep switching sides until you are done shoveling. This will help balance out the muscles and balance out the load on the spine so that you do not injure yourself.
4) Take breaks!
Any type of work requires a break. Don't strain yourself trying to get it all done at once. After a bit of work, whenever you are feeling a bit winded or tired, just go inside and grab yourself a nice hot chocolate and take a moment to relax. These breaks will make sure that you don't overstress your body all at once and cause an injury from being too tired to have proper form.
These tips should help you avoid a snow shoveling back injury. While we love to see our friends come into the office at all times of year, including the snowy days of winter, we would prefer that you not hurt yourself trying to get the car out of the driveway.
