How To Avoid Injuries While Shoveling Snow?

Safety

Here’s 5 simple tips for how to avoid injuries while shoveling snow this winter:

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
When you’re learning how to avoid injuries while shoveling snow, 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.

How To Avoid Injuries While Shoveling Snow?

First and foremost, please remember…

Shoveling snow can be an extremely nasty heart attack trigger. Every winter there are many sad stories about middle-aged people (mostly men who are not in good physical condition) suffering heart attacks while shoveling snow. That’s because snow shoveling is an intense isometric exercise that has an effect not unlike explosive weight-lifting movements in terms of stress on the heart. Unlike jogging, which gradually raises blood pressure and heart rate, snow shoveling produces a very rapid, steep increase in both.

Throw in the potential heart-stressing effect of low temperatures, and cleaning up after a snow fall can present a serious threat. So it’s worth asking your doctor during your annual physical (you DO get an annual physical, don’t you?) whether shoveling snow might be too much for you.

Lower back injury is also a major risk. Shoveling snow involves repetitive bending, pushing, twisting and lifting motions- all of which can put extreme stress on the lower back.

People of ALL fitness levels need to exercise caution while shoveling snow, because the combination of high-impact isometric movements and low temperatures can lead to serious injuries.

The following common-sense tips can help you understand how to avoid injuries while shoveling snow.

1) Warm up!
Imagine going to the gym on a cold winter day, finding that the heating system isn’t working and the temperature in the gym is below freezing. Undaunted, you walk straight to the squat rack, load up the bar with more weight than you’re used to lifting, and- still bundled in your winter clothes- grab the weight and proceed to lift it repeatedly without a warm up. No one in their right mind would do that!
Well, if you think about it, that’s precisely what most people do when they go out to shovel snow!
As with any type of strenuous exercise, some stretching and warming up before shoveling snow is a very good idea. Be sure to pay particular attention to hamstrings, lower back, arms and shoulders: these are the muscles that will be doing much of the work. A few knee bends, trunk rotations, hamstring stretches and shoulder rolls (extending your arms out to your sides at shoulder height, then rotating in 12-15″ circles) will help get the blood flowing and get your body ready to work.
Remember: putting extreme stress on cold muscles and joints is simply a bad idea.

2) Watch Your Breathing
In many people there is a natural tendency to hold one’s breath during exertion. During heavy work like shoveling snow or lifting weights, it’s important that you provide your body with the extra oxygen it needs. Be careful NOT to hold your breath while straining to push a pile of snow or lift a heavy shovel full. Holding your breath during exertion can cause a dangerous increase in blood pressure. Be sure to breathe in before the lift (or push), then breathe out during the exertion.

3) Take Frequent Breaks
During breaks, take a quick inventory: are you out of breath, is your heart racing, is anything sore? Do NOT ignore symptoms like nausea, excessive sweating, shortness of breath and/or chest pains. Any of these symptoms can be indicative of a severe problem, and they should be taken very seriously.

It’s important that you closely follow our steps for how to avoid injuries while shoveling snow or leaves. Our multi-level products are made in America and perfect for all your shoveling needs! If you have any questions, feel free to contact our knowledgeable team today!