We’re officially in the midst of another winter season here in New Jersey. And although we haven't had any record breaking snowfalls yet this season, we've had a few that require snow removal.
I'm concerned about the number of people who hurt themselves shoveling snow every year. I can’t tell you how many clients of mine have tweaked their backs in their attempts to keep a clear driveway. I admire their zeal, but truth be told, shoveling snow can be quite strenuous on the body.
Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. I'm not only addressing my readers in New Jersey. Many live in the north eastern states and get some serious snowfalls. For those living in the mid west, all I can say is hang in there and pray for an early Spring.
There is a global climate change occurring. You really never know when snow is coming your way. In fact, over the holiday season it just snowed in "the town that never sleeps" for the first time in the last 25 years. I'm talking about Las Vegas!
So, without further adieu, here are my top five safe shoveling tips:
1.) Perform a Proper 5-Minute Warm-up Before Shoveling
Just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Heavy, wet snow is a real beast to move around. If you attempt to shovel this type of snow when your body is tight and cold, then you will dramatically increase your chances of injury.
I have created a great shoveling-specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to rock. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, the two most commonly injured areas of broken down shovelers:
Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:
Exercise#1- Stationary High Knee Run
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head, but don't pull your head forward)
2.) Split Your Stance When Shoveling
Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for avid shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to best remedy this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of then lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run.
However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.
3.) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling
This is a continuation of the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.
4.) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides
This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is clear.
5.) Get Someone Else To Do It
This is my personal favorite, and no, I’m not joking. If you are not an avid exerciser, and would testify under oath that you are in bad physical shape, then my advice to you is "hire a professional to shovel or plow your snow". That's right, the safest way to not get hurt is to delegate the responsibility to someone else. If you live in a condominium, this should be taken care of as part of your maintenance.
The aforementioned tips will go a long way in keeping your body as bulletproof as possible during the next snowstorm. Seriously, it’s not a good idea get hurt shoveling, just to save a few dollars. It’s a sign of an even bigger problem: being overweight and/or highly de-conditioned.
And if you do get hurt shoveling, well, then you will know for certain that you are not in as good condition as you may have thought you were. I hope that doesn't happen. Take care this Winter, have fun, and don't get injured.
No comments:
Post a Comment