Snow shoveling? Watch your back!
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This story is brought to you by Grand Peaks Medical and Dental, a multi-specialty, non-profit, Community Health Center in St. Anthony and Rexburg.If you live in Idaho, clearing snow off driveways and sidewalks is inevitable.
In east Idaho, snow totals can vary quite a bit, with a yearly average between 219 inches in Island Park, to about 40 inches throughout the I-15 corridor between Idaho Falls and Malad.
And most likely, you’ve all seen that guy outside. The one who wears basketball shorts, boots and a jacket, who’s shivering as he shovels snow out of his driveway.
But what you may not know is this is just one of many mistakes people make when trying to shovel snow that can lead to big backaches and sometimes serious injuries.
Dr. Chant Williams, a chiropractor with Grand Peaks Medical in Rexburg, says his schedule gets much busier after the first big snowstorm of the year. Many of his patients say the same thing: They were shoveling snow when they started to feel pain in their backs.
Accidents can be hard to prevent in snowy weather, especially slips and falls, but the American Chiropractic Association says many snow injuries can be prevented just by following a few easy rules.
- If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.
- Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.
- Shoveling can strain “de-conditioned” muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.
- When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.
- Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.
- Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.
- Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.
- After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.
If you do get injured while clearing away snow, Williams recommends not waiting too long before getting it checked out by a health care provider. Little aches can turn to big problems when not taken care of properly.
By following these few easy tips, you can make clearing that 100 inches of snow each year a little less painful.