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| Photo: ladyheart |
Another day, another snowstorm, it seems. If you are headed out to clear the stuff, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has a few back saving tips for you:
- Warm up your muscles before doing the heavy work. About 10 minutes of a light aerobic activity such as walking will do. Stiff muscles that work hard are more prone to injury.
- Don't be a hero or heroine. This means go slow enough so that you can get all the work done with ease. Stay hydrated and take breaks when you get winded.
- Use a shovel that fits you. It should be comfortable height-wise and width-wise. It shouldn't be too heavy, either. Keep a fair amount of space between your hands in order to increase lifting leverage.
- Use your legs, not your spine, meaning, for one thing, don't bend over at the waist when lifting. This illustrated guide to digging in the garden goes over the biomechanics for shoveling. (The snow is missing from the pictures, that's all.)
- If you can push the snow out of the way instead of lifting it, then do so.
- Try to scoop a lot of little loads instead of fewer big ones. Definitely don't try to get all the way down to the bottom of a deep snow all at once.
- When you dump the snow, Turn your whole body by taking a few steps rather than twist your spine. Studies show that twisting the spine when carrying a load can lead to a disc injury.
| How to Shovel Safely | Back Pain | Back Strain |
The most important thing for back pain prevention while shoveling is remember to use the hip. The joint that should be doing most of the bending is the hip (where the leg meets the pelvis). If lifting is done this way the back (& knees) are spared a lot of work. As the hip is surrounded by large, powerful muscles this makes shoveling not only safer, but easier. For most people to use the “hip-hinge” it feels like you are sticking your but out when you lift.
See the hip hinge:
Lifting without back pain