How Can I Stay Safe While Shovelling Snow?

It's great exercise; however here are some things to help you stay healthy while shovelling. Choose a good shovel; one with a bent handle helps to reduce forces on your spine by reducing the amount of forward bending.

It’s best to push the snow instead of lifting it. If you have to lift, squat with a wide base of support, ankles and knees should be bent, and spine straight. Use your legs and buttock muscles to lift instead of your back.

Always exhale as you lift, this helps to decrease pressure on your spinal discs and keeps your blood pressure in check. Do not twist and throw! Twisting places high stress on the spinal discs and can lead to back injury. Instead, lift a smaller amount of snow and turn the shovel blade to deposit the load.

Your Physiotherapist at Core Restore can develop a personalized program to strengthen your muscles for shovelling. Say “goodbye” to back pain, and “hello” to back health!

– Emily Adams, Hons.BSc., MSc.P.T., Registered Physiotherapist, Pelvic Floor & Orthopaedic Physiotherapist