7 Snow Shovelling Tips to Reduce Pain/Injury
Below are 7 snow shovelling tips to help get you through these winter months pain and injury-free!
It may not be your first thought, but using an appropriate shovel is an important beginning step! An ergonomically designed shovel makes snow shovelling less strenuous and easier on your body, leading to less risk of pain and injury.
#1: Warm up your muscles before heading out. Think of shovelling as a workout (because it really is!); warming up your muscles prior to shovelling can significantly decrease the chances of injury.
#2: Pace yourself. Slow and steady wins the race! Aim for small sections at a time and pause for breaks as you go.
#3: Bend at your knees, not at your hips. Protecting your low back when lifting is super important! If you feel any twinging or pulling into your low back as you're shovelling, take a moment to stop and correct your approach. You want to be feeling the tension into your legs (thighs), driving the force of moving and lifting snow through the lower half of your body, not your low back.
#4: It's better to lift a small load several times than to lift a heavy load all at once. Aim to shovel snow off in layers until you reach the pavement.
#5: Alternate sides with which you use the shovel. This may pose a challenge to your non-dominant side, but doing this will help to avoid soreness, tiredness, and overuse on one side of your body.
#6: Avoid any kind of twisting. This is especially important if you are carrying a heavy load, to prevent injury to your back.
#7: Stretch and cool down afterwards. Spend a few moments stretching all of the main muscle groups you just used shovelling. (A single stretch should be held anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute). This will help prevent developing painful trigger points (more commonly known as ‘muscle knots’). A nice warm bath or shower afterwards will also help further aid relaxing those muscles you just put under strain from shovelling, decreasing the risk of pain and injury.
Bonus: Seek regular massage therapy to help reduce tension, soreness, fatigue, and muscle knots to help get you through yet another beautiful, snowy, Canadian winter shovelling season!
Book with us here: https://integritymassagetherap...
