Don't let the first heavy snowfall give you a pain in the back. "Warm up" your muscles before you start shoveling snow and use correct techniques to lift and move the snow.
"Shoveling is a rigorous aerobic activity that places great physical demands on the body," said Scott Boden, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at the Emory Spine Center, Decatur, Georgia. "Couch potatoes and others not physically fit should not shovel snow."
Dr. Boden, of Decatur, Georgia, noted that golfers, before teeing off, regularly warm-up their back, legs, arms and shoulders to avoid injury. "Snow shovelers should do the same," he said. Dr. Boden offers these injury prevention guidelines to help shovelers lift safely:
*Warm-up your muscles for 10 minutes: do light exercises.
*Keep the shovel close to your body, don't extend your arms with a shovel full of snow--that puts too much weight on your spine.
*If possible, push the snow in front of you.
*If you must lift the snow, bend your knees (not your back), squat and lift with your legs.
*Scoop up small amounts of snow and walk to where you will dump it. Do not toss the snow over your shoulder or to the side.
"The ligaments and disks in your back are prone to more injury when you are in a twisted position," Dr. Boden explained. "Such movement tears the outer lining of the disk, allowing the disk's soft center to bulge into the nerve. That produces extreme pain. Muscles and ligaments tighten, go into spasms and sideline the shoveler for days."
To avoid falls, wear shoes that have slip-resistant soles. "Make sure you can see what you are shoveling," he said. "Don't let a scarf block your view."
Do not remove deep snow all at once. "Do it piecemeal," urged Dr. Boden, noting that snow which stays on the ground for awhile usually becomes heavier. "Packed snow weighs more. Take an inch or two off, rest, then shovel another inch. Repeat, if necessary."
Dr. Boden advises shovelers to be well-rested and drink plenty of non-alcoholic liquids before and after the job.
Internet users can find additional information on snow shoveling and more at the Academy's web site, www.aaos.org, or call the Academy's Public Service line at 800-824-BONES.
An orthopaedic surgeon is a physician with extensive training in the diagnosis and non-surgical as well as surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.
The 26,047-member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (www.aaos.org) or (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org), is a not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons, allied health professionals and the public. An advocate for improved patient care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Decade (http://www.boneandjointdecade.org/us), the global initiative in the years 2002-2011 to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life. President Bush has declared the years 2002-2011 National Bone and Joint Decade in support of these objectives.
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