Shovel The Snow, Skip the Back Pain

The snow is heavy here in Dallas right now. It’s not common for us to get this much snow, so we know that our northern friends are really getting hit pretty hard right now.

While the winter wonderland may be beautiful, it does mean that your driveway and sidewalks will be covered in snow and you’ll be stuck shoveling that fluffy white stuff again. It’s not much more than a chore for some people, but for those with back pain, it can be a difficult task. So we’re putting a few reminders about removing the back pain from shoveling snow.

• Be heart smart! Don’t eat or smoke before shoveling snow. Avoid caffeinated beverages. These are stimulants and may increase heart rate and cause blood vessels to constrict.
• Consider a shovel with a plastic blade instead of metal—plastic is lightweight—isn’t the snow heavy enough?
• Get a shovel made to push snow. It is far easier to push snow than to lift it. There are shovels made expressly for pushing snow. See what is available at your hardware or home center store.
• Consider hiring a local company to shovel your snow. You might be able to convince a neighbor to help you out. Maybe they would appreciate a plate of warm cookies!

Here’s some tips from our previous blog post:

• Don’t let the snow pile up. If the weather report calls for several days of snow, frequent shoveling will allow you to move smaller amounts of snow at once. It’s far less strenuous in the long run.
• Pick the right shovel. Use a lightweight pusher-type shovel. If you are using a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first, so snow won’t stick to it.
• Push, don’t throw. Always push the snow to the side rather than throw it. That way you avoid lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow, and sudden twisting or turning movements.
• Bend your knees. As with any heavy object, you need to use your knees, and leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting, while keeping your back straight.
• Take a break. If you feel tired or short of breath, stop and take a rest. Shake out your arms and legs. Stop shoveling immediately if you feel chest pain or back pain.

Stay warm and make sure you have zero spine pain!

Tags: Back Pain