Shovelling snow is hard work!! It requires strenuous use of your arms, legs, back and heart. Add in cold weather that causes your muscles and blood vessels to tighten up, makes it harder to breathe, and requires the body to work harder to regulate its internal temperature and you’ve got an incredibly intense workout on your hands. For people who are physically fit enough to handle the task, this is as good of a workout as jogging. For those who aren’t prepared for this type of activity, injuries are common. We see a lot of rotator cuff strains (sore shoulders), back strains, and even heart attacks this time of year. Repetitive twisting, improper lifting, and lack of aerobic conditioning are the biggest causes of injuries when it comes to snow shovelling.
Here are 7 steps to help you avoid injury during this wonderful wintery season:
1. Make sure you are physically ready for the task
If your MD has advised you against moderate or strenuous activity – then snow shovelling is out! If you are relatively sedentary and don’t participate in any aerobic activities (like walking, jogging, or playing sports) throughout the year then heading on out there to shovel snow for an hour is not the best idea. If you have other health concerns such as a poor heart (previous heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure) or lungs (COPD, emphysema, asthma), diabetes, or severe arthritis or osteoporosis then consulting a health professional before snow shovelling is advisable. When in doubt, save yourself the injuries and hire the young kid next door! In the meantime, slowly work on becoming more active so you’re ready for the workout next year. A physiotherapist is a wonderful source on how to safely and effectively become more active.
2. Choose the right shovel
Not too heavy, not too tall, and not too big. Some of those new ergonomic shovels are great. Think about these important tips when choosing a shovel:
Warm up your body with some light activity. If you have a stationary bike or treadmill, 10 minutes at a low pace is great. If not, it’s easy to get your heart going a little faster and your muscles warmed up simply by:
Come on people, this is Winterpeg, not a fashion runway in New York! Protect your head, hands, and face and make sure your footwear has good grip to avoid a fall.
5. Do it right!
Push the snow as much as you can, only lift when you absolutely need to. Make sure you’re close to where you want the snow to go before you lift and throw: better to walk closer to the pile than try and reach with your arms outstretched. Do not pile too much snow on the shovel and avoid throwing that snow too high! Lift with your legs, not your back and avoid twisting your body – throw straight! No holding your breath – keep breathing naturally throughout the entire exercise. Switch the shovel to the other side of your body every now and then to reduce strain on the shoulder and back on your dominant side. If the snow is extra sticky and not leaving the shovel like you want it to, you can spray your shovel with a lubricant or silicon spray so the snow doesn’t cling to the blade.
6. Pace yourself
Take your time, do not rush. Enjoy that -40 degree weather! ;) Go inside and warm up every now and then and get something to drink to rehydrate yourself. Take the snow clearing in stages … as much as we want to get it done as quickly as possible, that’s not the best thing for our bodies. If we’re getting a huge dump of snow, get out there early and start clearing even if the snow is still coming down. That way you aren’t left with 25 cm of deep, heavy wet snow to clear. If you were too cozy indoors with your hot chocolate and a good book (or for those unfortunate souls stuck at work all day) and you didn’t get out there early, you can always take it in “layers”: skim off the top to start with rather than digging deep!
7. Listen to your body
If you are getting sore, stop. And remember – chest pain is never normal! If it is accompanied by shortness of breath, a cold clammy sweat, nausea, dizziness, or sudden extreme fatigue then it is most likely your heart and it’s time to call 911! When in doubt, play it safe. The other “sign” of a heart attack is denial. Too many people say “this can’t be my heart” followed by numerous reasons like “I’m too young” or “I’m in good shape” or “I’m a woman” – none of which exclude you from having a heart attack.
Follow these 7 steps and you are a lot less likely to need me in the clinic … or worse, the Emergency Room!! If you have doubts about your readiness to start shovelling snow, or are worried about the odd “tweak” or “twang” you experience while shovelling, come and visit us at the clinic before an injury occurs! Physios are just as good at preventing injuries as we are at rehabilitating them!
1. Make sure you are physically ready for the task
If your MD has advised you against moderate or strenuous activity – then snow shovelling is out! If you are relatively sedentary and don’t participate in any aerobic activities (like walking, jogging, or playing sports) throughout the year then heading on out there to shovel snow for an hour is not the best idea. If you have other health concerns such as a poor heart (previous heart attack, angina, congestive heart failure) or lungs (COPD, emphysema, asthma), diabetes, or severe arthritis or osteoporosis then consulting a health professional before snow shovelling is advisable. When in doubt, save yourself the injuries and hire the young kid next door! In the meantime, slowly work on becoming more active so you’re ready for the workout next year. A physiotherapist is a wonderful source on how to safely and effectively become more active.
2. Choose the right shovel
Not too heavy, not too tall, and not too big. Some of those new ergonomic shovels are great. Think about these important tips when choosing a shovel:
- Choose lightweight material such as plastic versus heavy material like metal
- Don’t buy one that is too short or too tall for your height. If you stand with your knees slightly bent, you should be able to hold the handle comfortably at your side without having to bend at the waist to get the blade on the ground.
- Bent handled shovels can offer better grip and less bending at the waist than some of the straight handled shovels.
- Bigger is not always better: the bigger the blade, the more tempted you will be to fill it full of snow and hurt yourself! A moderate or smaller sized blade will help to reduce muscle strain.
- Choose lightweight material such as plastic versus heavy material like metal
Warm up your body with some light activity. If you have a stationary bike or treadmill, 10 minutes at a low pace is great. If not, it’s easy to get your heart going a little faster and your muscles warmed up simply by:
- marching on the spot or jogging in place
- lifting your arms up over your head x10 or doing small circles with your arms at shoulder height
- doing a few jumping jacks or climbing the stairs a few times
- gentle stretching
Come on people, this is Winterpeg, not a fashion runway in New York! Protect your head, hands, and face and make sure your footwear has good grip to avoid a fall.
5. Do it right!
Push the snow as much as you can, only lift when you absolutely need to. Make sure you’re close to where you want the snow to go before you lift and throw: better to walk closer to the pile than try and reach with your arms outstretched. Do not pile too much snow on the shovel and avoid throwing that snow too high! Lift with your legs, not your back and avoid twisting your body – throw straight! No holding your breath – keep breathing naturally throughout the entire exercise. Switch the shovel to the other side of your body every now and then to reduce strain on the shoulder and back on your dominant side. If the snow is extra sticky and not leaving the shovel like you want it to, you can spray your shovel with a lubricant or silicon spray so the snow doesn’t cling to the blade.
6. Pace yourself
Take your time, do not rush. Enjoy that -40 degree weather! ;) Go inside and warm up every now and then and get something to drink to rehydrate yourself. Take the snow clearing in stages … as much as we want to get it done as quickly as possible, that’s not the best thing for our bodies. If we’re getting a huge dump of snow, get out there early and start clearing even if the snow is still coming down. That way you aren’t left with 25 cm of deep, heavy wet snow to clear. If you were too cozy indoors with your hot chocolate and a good book (or for those unfortunate souls stuck at work all day) and you didn’t get out there early, you can always take it in “layers”: skim off the top to start with rather than digging deep!
7. Listen to your body
If you are getting sore, stop. And remember – chest pain is never normal! If it is accompanied by shortness of breath, a cold clammy sweat, nausea, dizziness, or sudden extreme fatigue then it is most likely your heart and it’s time to call 911! When in doubt, play it safe. The other “sign” of a heart attack is denial. Too many people say “this can’t be my heart” followed by numerous reasons like “I’m too young” or “I’m in good shape” or “I’m a woman” – none of which exclude you from having a heart attack.
Follow these 7 steps and you are a lot less likely to need me in the clinic … or worse, the Emergency Room!! If you have doubts about your readiness to start shovelling snow, or are worried about the odd “tweak” or “twang” you experience while shovelling, come and visit us at the clinic before an injury occurs! Physios are just as good at preventing injuries as we are at rehabilitating them!
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