Snow-shovelling 101

Some tips to keep your back safe and avoid injury while snow-shovelling!

KNOW YOUR LIMITS:   Listen to your body.  If you feel fatigued, stop, go indoors and rest for a while.  If you experience pain, shortness or breath, light-headedness, or chest discomfort of any kind, stop immediately and seek assistance.

WARM UP:   Warm-up your body as you would before any exercise. Jog in place and stretch your arms, back, shoulders and legs before going out. Cold, tight muscles are more likely to get injured than warm, relaxed muscles.  Stretch again after shoveling.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY:  Wear good flat boots with traction.  Wear layers.  Wear gloves and a hat to keep you dry.

STAY HYDRATED AND TAKE FREQUENT REST BREAKS:   Every 15 minutes or so, take a rest break so you can stay strong and refreshed.  Stand up straight, walk around, and drink some water.  Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after shovelling.  An hour of shoveling is comparable to an hour of general aerobics, dancing or weight lifting.

DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH:   Breathe regularly to supply your body with more oxygen as your muscles work to shovel the snow.  Inhale as you prepare to lift/push, and Exhale during the lift/push.

AVOID LIFTING:   Push the snow whenever possible.  Pushing puts much less stress on your body than lifting.  Push with the handle of the shovel close to you for better leverage – do not outstretch your arms.  Push the snow to the closest edge of the driveway.

WHEN YOU MUST LIFT, MAINTAIN A NEUTRAL SPINE:   Realistically, sometimes you will have to lift.   When lifting, keep your knees bent, with your feet shoulder-width apart or one in front of the other.  You should be in a squatting stance, as if rising up from a chair.  Your hands should be more than shoulder-width apart to increase your leverage and shovel more efficiently.  Lift the shovel by straightening your knees (not your back!).  Your back should be in a neutral position, not rounded.

AVOID TWISTING:   Lifting straight-ahead is easier on your body.  Never throw snow over your shoulder.  Move your feet rather than twisting.  When you are in a situation where you must throw the snow and rotate, rotate your whole body.  Allow your hips to move with your shoulders so that you require less spinal rotation.  Similarly to golf, keep your knees bent, with your front-foot firmly planted, and pivot on your back-foot as you turn your trunk to the opposite side.

SMALL LOADS:   If there’s a heavy snowfall, you don’t have to dig all the way to the sidewalk with each shovel.  Allow yourself to push/lift the snow in layers.  Don’t pick up too heavy a pile of snow.

DELEGATE THE SHOVELLING DUTIES IF NEEDED:   If you have a cardiac history, or significant history of low back pain or shoulder or knee injuries, you should delegate the shoveling.

Shovelling is difficult work.  If by chance you do end up injuring yourself, consult a medical professional to minimize your pain and functional limitations.

Joyce Wong (PT)

B.Sc.(PT), Cert. AFCI

Registered Physiotherapist