Physical Therapy Advice: Safe Shoveling and Avoiding Falls

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• Snow Is Inevitable But Injuries Don’t Have To Be

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  There’s a lot to enjoy about winter: The dazzling landscapes, getting out on skis or snowshoes and more.

  But, there are also the less-fun parts of the season, such as frozen faces and of course, shoveling.

  All of Wisconsin has some snow on the ground and more coming in the forecast. To help avoid injuries caused by shoveling, physical therapist Lori Thein Brody has a simple piece of advice: “Hire the neighbor kid.”

  Brody is an athletic trainer with the University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine and Spine Center. She is also the graduate program director for the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo, Utah.

  While the idea of hiring a neighbor might be an option for some, some of the time, it’s still important to know how to avoid injury when taking care of that chore. Brody said that her teenage son said that it made no sense when Brody went out to shovel during a snowstorm when there was more on the way. But in fact, Brody said, there was a good reason for her approach.

  “I’d rather shovel 2 inches twice than 4 inches once,” she said. “For me, pushing and lifting that much snow hurts, it just hurts! So, I’d rather shovel again, having taken a break, and have less snow to push. So, that’s one strategy.”

  Bill Boissonnault, a professor at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and senior physical therapist at the Spine Center Physical Therapy Clinic of the UW Hospital and Clinics, said shoveling has both positive and negative aspects to it.

  “It’s kind of good and bad. It’s good exercise, it’s cardiovascular exercise, you’re working muscle groups. But, especially the first couple of big snows, we’re not used to shoveling. Like anything else, you start a new activity and it’s intense, and it’s heavy, wet snow, and it can cause injuries,” he said.

  Boissonnault said those injuries can range from back or shoulder injuries to heart problems.

  “So there’s a lot of risk,” he said, “especially if people are pretty sedentary.”

  He added that not only is it the weight of the snow, it’s the repetitive motion, especially “the bending and twisting with your trunk flexed forward.” He cautioned that when twisting, it should be in the legs, not with the back.

  “Pivot on your feet instead of twisting at the waist” in order to minimize pressure on the back, he said.

  While it may feel unnatural, Brody suggested that shovelers try to switch arms to avoid those constant, same motions and to give different muscles a bit of a break. That also will give hardworking backs a break. But Brody warned that with heavy, wet snow, shovelers might not have enough control or coordination with a non-dominant arm and that can lead to injuries as well.

  As in many activities, having the right tools is key to success. Brody recommended having both a pushing shovel and a lifting shovel. With the former, the shoveler acts as a snow plow of sorts, and the handle is more upright. With the latter, it’s more of a traditional shovel design that requires lifting and twisting.

  Both Brody and Boissonnault also recommended finding a shovel that works with the shoveler’s height. Taller people will feel more comfortable with a longer handle.

  While using a snow blower is easier than shoveling for the most part, there are still some risks. If the snow is densely packed, it can take significant effort to push the blower through. Brody pointed out that in general, vibration is not good for the body, and snow blowers can generate quite a bit.

  So, do clear those sidewalks to avoid falls, but pay attention to how you’re shoveling and how much at a time.