After today’s record-breaking snow storm in October here in Belvidere the county seat of Warren county New Jersey and the surrounding communities of: White Township, Hope, Blairstown, Oxford, Columbia, Delaware, Harmony, and Phillipsburg; as well as, the neighboring communities such as: Bangor, Upper and Lower Mt. Bethel in Northampton county Pennsylvania, although winter isn’t even here yet, if snow removal happens to be a major problem for you, here is a list below of 10 tips for snow removal to help you prevent back injuries and other major illnesses when shoveling your driveways and walk ways.
- Stretch your back, neck, arms and legs with a brief warm-up.
- Use a shovel appropriate in length and weight to your height and strength.
- Bend from the knees while lifting and keep the spine as straight as possible.
- Push the snow when it is practical, as opposed to lifting and throwing it.
- Deposit the snow close to where you are shoveling, to avoid heaving it across a wide area.
- Don’t shovel at too rapid a pace. Work at a pace fitting to your age and strength.
- Don’t lift snow with your back. Bending and twisting the spine are common causes of disc and ligament damage. Use your arms and body to deposit snow in one smooth motion.
- Don’t shovel with your feet planted firmly in one spot. Allow your legs and thighs to help your upper body and arms deposit the snow to the side.
- Don’t lift large amounts of snow in one scoop of the shovel. To avoid back strain, shovel light to moderate amounts of snow per load.
- Don’t overwork yourself. If you are huffing and puffing, stop immediately and rest.
If you’d like more information on a an easy 3 to 5 minute stretch and warm-up exercise routine see my previous video post titled: How to Get the Zaz Back in Your Life HERE. And for some additional information on: How to Lift Properly to Avoid Back Injuries watch this previous video post HERE.
The relationship between snow shoveling and major injuries, including back, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal problems, is no coincidence. A number of injuries, even deaths, could be averted each year if people followed these simple tips while shoveling.~Dr. William Bender, past president of the Michigan Chiropractic Council.
It’s always wise to have your family chiropractor examine your spine to make sure that it is up to all strenuous physical activities, especially the rigors of snow shoveling.
Remember, be kind to your spine, it is after all, the central support structure of your body. You must respect this structure so that it will give you strong, flexible service for a long time to come and since your spine also carries your neurological lifeline from the brain to all the other parts of your body, the functional health of your body depends on the flow of an unrestricted nervous system. Therefore, when your spine suffers, your overall health suffers too.
I hope you’ve found this post’s information helpful and would love to hear any of your comments, questions, or any additional tips to help other loyal readers so leave your comments below.
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