Avoiding snow shoveling injuires

Today, many people are clearing their driveways from the snow we got earlier this morning. But, many don’t realize the potential harm you can do to your body shoveling snow… especially if you don’t exercise on a regular basis.

Research shows low back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit the emergency department after clearing snow. A few things you can do to avoid injury to your back and shoulders:

Stretch your muscles and bundle up in warm clothing.

If possible use leverage to push the snow rather than lift it up and moving it.

Ware boots with good tread and gloves.

Avoid putting excess snow in the sidewalk and streets.

Always stay hydrated

Dr. Gary L. Johnson, Chiropractor at Johnson Family Chiropractic and Sports Clinic, says, “the actual lifting or pushing the snow you get a lot of sprains/strains of the lower back and also some potential disk injuries because of the extra weight placed on the disks when you’re bent over trying to lift. So… sciatica problems, disk problems, sprain strains…”

The upper region of your spine is called the thoracic spine and it is responsible for rotation. However, the lower back does not. That’s usually where most injuries occur.

“If you try to twist, you see what happens, it just locks. That’s where you end up with some injuries. You can end up bulging a disk or causing damage to the nerve there as well.”

The best thing to avoid serious lower back injuries is to maintain good posture.

“Keep your feet shoulder width apart. And, if you can push rather than lift that’s ideal… they have some fantastic ergonomic [snow shovels] options so you can stand upright in a better posture and push rather than being bent over.”