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Watch Your Back When Shoveling, Says Lifetime Health Physical Therapist

NEWS RELEASE - December 19, 2007

ROCHESTER, NY— We’re in the thick of snow shoveling season already and, chances are, there are few people in this region who are “first timers” at the job. However, even people who have been shoveling their way out for decades can be risking serious injury by not taking some very necessary precautions.

“As much as it’s a necessary chore, snow shoveling is also an exercise – and a strenuous one,” says Erin Nielsen PT, CPI the department manager of Physical Therapy for Lifetime Health Medical Group. “Shoveling incorrectly can put people at great risk for back injuries, among others.” Nielsen advocates for the purchase of a snow blower or payment to a plowing service when possible, but says there are some key tips to avoiding injury if you must shovel:

• Warm up. Just like any exercise, snow shoveling is best not done with stiff or cold muscles. Walk around your house or march in place for two to three minutes before you go out.
• Be bundled. Layer clothing with a hat or muffs, a scarf and coat and gloves.  This allows you to remove some layers if you begin to get to warm after shoveling for a while.
• Be sensible. Wear sensible, sturdy boots to shovel. Some women on their way to work will wear their heeled boots to shovel and it’s not worth the risk.
• Pick the right shovel. Although many shovels on the store shelves look like they’ll help you get the job done faster with their mammoth scoops, the right shovel is really the shovel that’s small enough to scoop only the amount of snow, by weight, that a person can lift.
• Lift with your knees and throw straight. Many people know to lift with their legs, but then they twist to throw the snow off to the side – and the twisting is where the back injury is most likely to occur. It’s actually best to position yourself so you’re lifting and throwing the snow straight in front of you (so, for example, work perpendicular to the driveway and throw into the lawn straight in front of you).
• Push if you can. Better than throwing forward is pushing forward. If you are working in a space where you can, push the snow off the area with the shovel rather than lifting and throwing at all.
• Pivot. If you can’t position yourself so you can push or throw forward pivot on your feet to face the place you want to leave the snow and then throw it forward. Don’t twist from the waist.
• Practice good body mechanics. Keep your arms and elbows as close to your body as possible. When your arms reach forward, it pulls your upper body forward, thus increasing strain and load on your back.
• Know when to say “when.” Don’t push through pain when shoveling.

If you come in from shoveling sore, Nielsen advises ice for the pain. Despite the fact that you’ve been out in the cold, ice is one of the best ways to reduce inflammation.  She also advises resting that day and checking with your doctor to see if you can take an anti-inflammatory medication such as Aleve or Advil.
 
“If the soreness doesn’t go away in a few days, people should think about seeing their doctor or a physical therapist.  It never hurts to be checked out by a health professional if the pain/soreness doesn’t subside,” says Nielsen.

If you are injured, you can schedule an appointment with a physical therapist, in many cases without a referral from your primary care physician. For more information about physical therapy at Lifetime Health Medical Group, visit the Web site, www.lifetimehealth.org, or call 336-4886.

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