Be a Shoveling Pro Part 1

Well, it’s December, and the snow is here to stay for a while. At Evansville Chiropractic, we see a  winter influx of lower back pain due to shoveling. Unfortunately, there is no way around moving the snow – it has to go somewhere! Some of us have snowblowers, but even operating one of those heavy machines can lead to back pain. What can be done to take back pain out of winter?

In this blog, we will discuss what you can do during shoveling to protect your back. Your back does staggering amounts of work for you, and there are easy things you can do to make sure it stays in great shape.

Pick the right shovel

You can help your back out before you even start shoveling by choosing the best tool.

• A smaller, plastic blade will reduce the weight you have to heave around.

• A shovel with adjustable handle length or a curved handle will reduce the extent to which you have to bend your knees and arch your back.

Use these ergonomic lifting techniques

Try to push the snow to one side rather than lifting it all the time. If you do have to lift it, use these techniques:

• If you need to lift a shovel full of snow, get one hand down close to the blade. This will bring the load closer to you and make it easier to lift.

• Walk to the location you want the snow rather than tossing it. This will prevent you overextending and wrenching your back and arms.

• If you start lifting a load and it is too heavy, do not push it. Reduce the load to smaller chunks.

We will have more tips in our next blog. Until then, make an appointment with your Evansville chiropractor. Whether you have back pain or not, we can ensure that you are ready to tackle the snow!