Health & Fitness
January 2020
The Newsletter About Achieving and Maintaining Optimal Well-Being
SOME THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SHOVELING SNOW
As I sit andwrite this article the temperature is a balmy 55 degrees on December 29th, but I realize with the way the weather can change in Michigan we can have snow tomorrow. Actually, shoveling snow can be fairly good exercise if one keeps a few principles in mind. My wife is always asking why don’t you get a snow blower, but I actually feel it is good exercise and find it enjoyable as long as I do not let the snow accumulate too much before taking action. In any case, here are a few tips for you folks who still shovel. 1. Know your ability. First and foremost, each of you are different so know your body and what problems you have had. Someone who is 55 years old hasmuchmore to consider that someonewho is 24when they are going to go out and shovel the driveway. Someone with a history of back pain, disc problems, etc. needs to approach the shoveling with a little more smarts. The old axiom ‘strain the brain and not the back” gets more relevant as we get older. So, if you are older or have a history of back, neck or shoulder problems, do some of your exercises first. You know, those one’s stuck in the drawer we gave you in PT. But seriously, loosen up a bit. 2. Know your snow. Some snow is very dense and heavy. So, it is much harder tomove. If that is the case, much better to shovel twice with half the weight and strain. If you have a lot of snow on the driveway or walkway, it is much easier to push snow a shorter distance. So, shovel the width and not the length. Sometimes with a driveway, one might have to split it in haves and go left and right with half the snow or even a ¼ of the distance at a time. The body is much better at handling lighter more repetitive loads v. heavy less repetitive. The heavier the snow the more you should consider this principle. This is all common sense but keeping the lighter and more repetitive concept in mind has saved me a few times. 3. Pushing snow is much easier than lifting and throwing. When pushing snow, one can engage your core rather easily if you have been trained on this. (if not, this is a good skill to learn, we do that). Keep your abs tight as you push so the loads stay balanced and do not concentrate on your lower back. If you have to lift snow and throw it, try to throw it straight ahead and not twist. If you have to turn and throw it, move your feet to change directions and not twist your back. If you have to pick up snow or the pushing get hard, exhale as you do so. Really helpful. Why? Because it recruits your abdominals and they protect your back. Weight lifters do this, snow is weight and the same principle applies. I always tell my patients, “ex with ex”, exhale with exertion. Practice exhaling as you exert and your body will eventually automate and do it without you having to remember. What is that called - a good ergonomic skill that serves to balance the stresses away from the lower back. 4. Watch for unsmooth surfaces. As you’re pushing snow, be careful you do not catch a rise in the concrete and strain your shoulder or back. Typically if
you’re right handed, your right hand will be on the handle and that sudden force jamming into your right shoulder is the stuff a strain is made from, or even worse a bicep tendon tear. 5. And speaking of tears. Many rotator cuff tears occur when someone falls. So, make sure your foot wear has goodgrip to it whenout on slick surfaces. If you’re heading towork and need to shovel first, shoveling snowwith leather soled shoes is asking for trouble as far as slipping and landing hard. 6. Don’t let it freeze. It is a lot easier to shovel snow before someone has walked or driven on it causing it to freeze and stick to the surface. 7. Take a break if there is a lot to do. That snow is not going anywhere, muscles get tired. And when they get tired no one is home to protect the joints. Muscle serves to not only move objects but it protects our joints as well and fatigue sets us up for tightness, possible strain and joint stress. A simple rest break can be all you need. After you finish shoveling, you’re a dozen times better off doing a few stretches for your hips and back before sitting down to relax which will just allow the muscles to stiffen up further (Don’t know how to do that? We can teach you). Muscles recover much betterwith a few light stretches after doing something like shovelingwhere the stresses land heavily on the back mostly due to number 8 just below. 8. Weight xDistance. Avoid the heavy shovels. Metal shovels last longer but can be much heavier and combined with the weight of the snowmake for a heavy strain. A light, quality plastic shovel will last at least a few years and help your back do the same. Remember, if you’re lifting 10 lbs. of snow with a 4-foot long handled shovel, that is 40 lbs. of stress to your back, neck or shoulders. If it is the really wet kind of snow, that weight adds up fast. Divide or reduce the load and conquer. “Strain the brain not the back.” Yes, I know, I am like a broken record but saving yourself from a strain is ¾ mental. 9. Almost last but not least. A snowblower may be what you need with a large area or if you are getting to a point where manually doing this just does not make sense anymore due to the possibility for injury or other health concerns. 10. We are your friendly neighborhood PT clinic. If you’re heading into snow season and your back, shoulders, or neck are already not doing well, then consider getting a consultation to see if we can help you. Don’t add insult to injury, that is not using your brain!
All our best for a smooth snow season,
The Full Potential staff.
www.fullpotentialpt.com
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