Staff Writer
Let’s be honest. No one enjoys getting outside in the freezing weather conditions to bend, lift, and twist a shovel full of heavy snow. According to one study, about 11,500 emergency room visits are related to shoveling snow annually. Many other people need to see a chiropractor for sprains and strains.
Such statistics show how important it is to shovel the right way to prevent an injury. Your neighborhood Doctor of Chiropractic – a neuromusculoskeletal specialist – can offer many tips on how to carry out snow shoveling duties without overworking your body.
Many people start shoveling their driveway and quickly realize they are having to throw the snow much too far. Starting from the middle and working your way to each side of the driveway minimizes the distance you need to travel.
There’s a natural tendency to slide your shovel into a snow pile and lift up and out. Throwing the snow can increase the chance of a harmful twisting motion that might cause muscle strain.
A better plan is to push as much as possible. To do that, toss that older flat-bladed snow shovel and go for one with an ergonomic-friendly handle and a curved blade. Thanks to an arm and wrist-friendly handle and a reverse “C” blade, you can push snow to the side with minimal back, leg, and arm strain. This works best, of course, with smaller snow depths. You may need to do several snow-clearing trips, but it minimizes the overall effort.
Whenever you’re out there, remember to keep your back straight and bend with your knees when you have to lift. To prevent needing to call your chiropractor, avoid lifting and reaching out to throw the snow, using your leg power as much as possible.
You should keep the shovel handle about chest high and not stooping over. Keeping a straight, neutral spine is important to preventing injury. Also true: A snow shovel that is too short can cause you to round your back and bend over too much.
Not only does staying warm keep you more comfortable, but it also keeps your muscles warm and limber.
Shoveling can be a vigorous, physically taxing workout. Always warm up your muscles for about 10 minutes before shoveling, as you would with any workout routine.
Staying in one position for an extended period can increase the risk of straining your muscles. Take frequent breaks to rest, walk around, or stretch to decrease the amount of repetitive stress on your body.
If you’re one of the lucky ones in the Midwest who doesn’t have to shovel snow, find a Doctor of Chiropractic in your neighborhood. Chiropractic is safe, gentle, and non-invasive. Chiropractors specialize in disorders within the musculoskeletal system. A misalignment in the spine puts pressure on the nervous system and affects the communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
Regular visits to a chiropractor can help address increased mobility, balance, and range of motion – all of which can decrease the likelihood of musculoskeletal injury and pain. Ready to know more? Check out this report: Chiropractic: A Safe and Cost-Effective Approach to Health.
If chiropractic care is recommended following your initial patient exam, your Doctor of Chiropractic will seek to correct the misalignment, allowing the nerves to function optimally, increasing joint mobility, and reducing pain. Your chiropractor may also recommend stretches and exercises to strengthen your core and stabilize your spine to prevent future injuries.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), founded in 1922, is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health science-focused university in Overland Park, Kansas. The CUKC on-campus Chiropractic Health Center is open to the public and treats patients from Kansas City’s 15-county metro area. Our goal is to provide chiropractic care and solutions for a better, more productive life for our patients.
