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Shovel snow without breaking your back

Dec 14, 2016 | Lifestyles

(ProActive Sports Rehab offers a weekly column promoting health, fitness and physical therapy. Please be sure to check back each week for a new topic!)

Did you know that the sharp pain you feel putting away the dishes on a high shelf might be traced to lifting a snow shovel above your shoulder after a big storm? Repeatedly raising your arm and lifting a snow-filled shovel above shoulder level is a common cause of many of the complaints health professionals hear.

Here are some easy tips to help ensure a pain-free winter:

1. 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.

2. Pick the right shovel. Use a lightweight pusher-type shovel. If you’re using a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first so snow won’t stick to it.

3. Push, don’t throw. Always push the snow to the side rather than throw it. This way you can avoid lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow and any sudden twisting or turning movements that can lead to strains.

4. Bend your knees. As with any heavy object, you need to use your knees, leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting while keeping your back straight.

5. 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 or back pain. If you have back pain that is severe or persists for more than a day after shoveling or experience lingering shoulder or back pain, see a healthcare professional. If you have severe chest pain, see a doctor immediately.

For more information, please contact ProActive Sports Rehab or visit www.chiropractic.on.ca.
— News Canada

ProActive Sports Rehab, with offices in Hamburg and West Seneca, offers one-on-one physical therapy and rehabilitation services. For more information, please visit http://proactivesportsrehab.com or call 674-9600 (West Seneca office) or 648-8700 (Hamburg office). You can also follow ProActive Sports Rehab on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProActiveSportsRehab for frequent updates.

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