How To Shovel Without Throwing Out Your Back
Well, we are back to having snowy streets and driveways again after a nice long break from it here in the Midwest. As you will learn if you become a patient of ours, I am not a fan of the snow…or the cold. But nonetheless, I live in Minnesota and have to deal with all the weather that comes along with it! If you read our blog post about back pain, you may recall that I mentioned shoveling as a precarious activity. Many patients come in each winter saying they strained (or pulled/tweaked/threw out) their back while shoveling. I presume this is because most people use improper shoveling mechanics which often leads to injury. I often see my neighbors doing the dreaded scoop, twist, and throw. This is a cringe-worthy moment for any physical therapist who may be watching. We are taught in PT school that the most likely conditions to produce back injuries are: bending, loading, and twisting, especially when combined. EEK!! Isn’t that exactly what I just described?? So what are you to do? You have to clear the driveway, but how should you do it in a safe way if you don’t have a snow blower or a snow service? Here are 10 key tips that can help you keep your back feeling healthy this winter:
If possible, use a curved shovel that is ergonomically correct. This allows you to keep your back straighter during shoveling.
Use a staggered stance. This means put one foot in front of the other instead of having your feet next to one another. This helps take the loading from your back and puts it into your hips instead.
Don’t overload the shovel. I know you want to get the shoveling done as quickly as possible, but if you get injured in the process, it is not speeding things along. Only scoop a manageable amount of snow into the shovel so it is not as heavy.
Push when possible. If you have an area where you can push snow into a pile, this is better for your body than throwing the snow. A tactic I use at home is to take our “snow plow” shovel (very wide shovel for pushing) and push the snow in short rows across the driveway widthwise to make piles that I can throw later.
Grip the shovel with your hands a good distance apart. If you create some space between your hands instead of gripping them close together, you will create better leverage for yourself and make it easier to lift.
Lift with your legs. Since you are already in a staggered stance, this should be more natural anyways, but try to avoid leaning over the shovel with your back and instead squat down with your legs and then stand up to throw the snow.
Tighten your core. As you stand up, tighten your core, or your stomach muscles, to protect your back.
Throw the snow in a forward direction. Instead of throwing the snow over your shoulder, throw the snow forward so you aren’t twisting your back. Also, try to get as close as possible to where you need to throw the snow so you don’t have to throw it very far.
Try to clear the snow soon after it has fallen. Snow gets more compacted and heavier as it sits on the ground.
If you feel your body starting to fatigue and you start compromising your form, take a short break, go warm up inside, and come back later. Better to have a driveway full of snow than a blown out back!
I hope these tips are helpful for this snowstorm that is about to hit and can help prevent some back injuries this winter. Stay safe out there!