How to prevent injuries when shoveling snow, walking on ice
Sandra Hunter, a Marquette University professor of exercise science, says a back injury is one of the biggest problems that can occur with shoveling. Here are some safety tips.
Prepare
It's no secret that inclement weather is coming. Salt your driveway before the snow arrives so you don't have to shovel as much.
Pick the proper clothing
Dress as you would for exercising and for the cold: Think layers.
Warm up first
Shoveling is exercise, and you should warm up for it just as you should before exercising. Even just doing some jumping jacks or going up and down some stairs to get warmed up will help.
Ergonomic shovels can make a big difference
Ergonomic shovels are much lighter, and they have contoured handles, which reduce the bending you need to do.
Push, don't lift
"Once you are shoveling, push the snow rather than trying to lift it," says exercise science professor Sandra Hunter. “If, however, you do have to lift, make sure that you are bending your knees and lifting the snow with your legs and not your back." She said it's twisting, throwing the snow and using your back rather than your legs that are really going to do damage. "So tighten your abdominal muscles before you lift. If you do that, it's really hard to twist, and you really protect your vertebrae."
Take breaks and keep hydrated
When shoveling snow, you can quickly overheat and become dehydrated.
Pay attention to signs and pains
"Some people have had heart attacks while shoveling; it's not uncommon," Hunter said. "One just has to listen to their body. If you got shortness of breath, chest discomfort or discomfort down your left arm, definitely do something about that." She said not to just endure pain and say, "I'll just finish this."
Make right choices for the winter season
When it comes to navigating icy conditions, concussions are among the biggest injuries. Black ice is especially tricky. "To negotiate ice, you've got to keep flat feet, take small steps, and you've got to keep your feet wide apart, so you have a big base of support," Hunter said. "And footwear is huge in terms of having some sort of grip." The bottom line: The right outwear, prep and shoveling techniques are really important for the winter season.
Make up for last Saturday’s event cancellations with some fun this weekend.
