Back Pain and Snow Shoveling

How can I protect my back when I go out to shovel?

With all the lovely snow we have during the winter in Chicago, it is important to protect your back when going out to shovel snow. According to U.S. Consumer Products Safety in 2007, more than 118,000 people sought medical treatment for injuries that happened while shoveling snow and ice manually.

Here are a few tips to help prevent injuries while shoveling:

    Before you go out in the cold to begin shoveling, perform some light dynamic stretching to warm up your muscles and get your joints moving.

    Next, maintain good posture while shoveling and use the best body mechanics possible. This includes keeping your back straight and bending with your legs, holding the shovel as close to your upper body as possible, keeping one hand close to the shovel blade as possible, not twisting through your back and making sure to take a step when throwing snow. Additionally, do not pick up too much snow at once, filling only one fourth or one half of a large snow shovel is best.

    It is also important to remember that it is best to rest frequently and if the snow is very deep - don’t plan on shoveling it all at once. Take a break after shoveling for 15-20 minutes or before that time if you are feeling fatigued or out of breath. During the break, it is best to go in the house and hydrate well.

    Light stretching and application of ice for 10-15 minutes following shoveling, to any specific areas of pain or soreness will help to minimize pain of stiffness the following day.

If you do suffer an injury while shoveling snow, make an appointment to go see your doctor. Preventing and or treating low back strain may include core stability strengthening and activities to increase/maintain optimal lumbar and lower extremity range of motion and flexibility.

The author of this article is Ashley Kiersted, PT, DPT, center manager at NovaCare- Northwestern.