Snow Shoveling Tips

WARNING: Shoveling snow can be dangerous to those with Cardiovascular issues.  If you think you are at risk or have had issues in the past consult a doctor before attempting to shovel snow.  Stop immediately if you get lightheaded or start having chest pains.

Winter is coming! Pretty sure when I stepped outside today and saw 3 inches on the ground the 1st week of November and 10-degree wind chill it already arrived.  If you live anywhere north of Texas that means snow shoveling season is here.  It also means that the low back pain, injury rates, and cardiovascular issues will rise.  In fact, according to a 17-year study, approximately 11,500 people per year seek medical help due to shoveling snow alone. A whopping 37% of those are musculoskeletal issues.  The number might seem small, but these are only the people that actually sought medical attention from acute issues.  Thousands more most likely never seek help.

The first thing to understand is that shoveling snow is an intense workout, burning on average 500-600 calories an hour.  To put that into context, the average person will burn around 600 calories in an hour running at 5mph.  It is a full body resistance exercise workout and depending on the snow that s&$t can get heavy!  The quads, glutes, back erectors, abs, upper back and shoulder muscles are all used while shoveling snow. Question for you: Would you go run a 10K (approximately 6 miles) without a warm-up? Would you go into the gym and just start squatting or bench pressing without at least a 5-minute mobility routine?  If you are doing either of those things, please stop and prep your muscles and protect yourself.

Here are 8 tips you can use to safely remove that pretty white stuff we love to watch fall but hate the work it brings:

1. Wait 45 minutes after getting out of bed in the morning before shoveling snow.  Move around, get a hot shower, and stand for at least the first 30 minutes.  Overnight, the discs in the vertebrae will re-hydrate and swell.  This creates a scenario where one wrong move can create pinched disc, herniation, or other disc injury when you go to move the fluffy white stuff.  By standing you allow the discs to settle into place and lose a little of the viscosity they gained over night.
2. Warm-up properly:

• Foam roll the entire body: glutes, hip flexors, quads, upper back, shoulders, and pecs
• Do a dynamic mobility warm-up for 5 minutes: lunges with overhead reach, squat with thoracic rotation, hip bridges, high knees, etc.
• Use a treadmill, elliptical, or indoor bike until you have a light sweat (approximately 10 minutes)

3. Wear the appropriate clothes.  Winter clothes can get bulky and limit movement causing poor movement while working.  Make sure you can bend at the hips and knees effectively.  Use layers, you will be warm from the warm-up you just completed and can always remove a layer if needed when you get hot.

4. Use a bent shaft shovel.  Research has shown that the bent shaft shovel is better for your low back.  The bent angle of the shaft will decrease the load on the lower back muscles and forces on the spine.  Be sure to grab the shovel by the handle and then as close to the scoop as possible to create better leverage.

5. It's called a "Shovel" for a reason.  Shove the snow from one side to the other whenever possible.  Brace the core, keep the shovel handle at the naval and drive the snow using your legs. If you must scoop the snow to clear it, brace the core, bend the knees, and drive the shovel into the snow only enough to get a small amount.  When lifting the snow, straighten the knees and hips at the same time to protect the lower back.  Which leads to tip number 6.

6. NEVER TWIST AND THROW! After scooping the snow and standing up using your lower half, keep the core braced and rotate at the hips and shoulders at the same time and turn using the whole body.  Then dump the snow, do not try to throw the snow.

7. Work in small increments.  Shovel multiple times through the day instead of waiting for the snow to finish falling if you are expecting more than a couple inches of snow.  Depending on the shape you are in, work for 10-20 minutes and take a small break.  Don't try to work continuously unless you are in great shape!

8. Stay hydrated!  Even though it is cold, you are going to sweat most likely, but you may not realize how much water you are losing depending on how hard you are working.  Hydrated muscles work better.  Plus, if you stop to get a drink here and there, you are giving your body some needed recovery before starting again.

9. STOP IF LIGHTHEADED OR DEVELOPING CHEST PAINS! 

If you have cardiovascular issues or have recently been seen for a cardiovascular event, please consult a doctor before shoveling snow.

Daniel S. Watson, Brenda J. Shields, Gary A. Smith, Snow shovel–related injuries and medical emergencies treated in US EDs, 1990 to 2006, The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Volume 29, Issue 1, 2011, Pages 11-17, ISSN 0735-6757, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2009.07.003.

Ryan T. Lewinson, Gholamreza Rouhi, D. Gordon E. Robertson, Influence of snow shovel shaft configuration on lumbosacral biomechanics during a load-lifting task, Applied Ergonomics, Volume 45, Issue 2, Part B, 2014, Pages 234-238, ISSN 0003-6870, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2013.04.004.

Slotterback, Carole S., Heather Leeman, and Michael E. Oakes. "No pain, no gain: Perceptions of calorie expenditures of exercise and daily activities." Current Psychology 25.1 (2006): 28-41.