SURVIVAL SKILL
Experts in both body movement and slips and falls have ideas about the best ways to stay safe and prevent muscle soreness while shoveling snow.
Mike Olson, assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Ill., said a shovel with a crook in the shaft, the kind that is marketed as "ergonomically correct," might give a shoveler better leverage.
"The curve may allow you to stay more upright, versus the old standard. And there may be some benefit to that, but that would be the end of it," said Olson, noting that he uses a standard snow shovel himself.
More important, Olson said, is the shoveler's stance and movement. When shoveling snow, he said, one should:
- Move slowly.
- Keep the load of snow close to the body. The farther away the shovel is from the body, the more likely injury will occur.
- Bend at the knee, not at the back.
- Take small portions on the shovel.
- Take frequent breaks.
- Avoid twisting the body a lot.
"It's also a good strategy, when there's a lot of snow and you're trying to save your back, to go out several times," Olson said. "The more snow you have on the shovel, the more you're going to increase your possibility of back pain."
Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ill. She's also an expert in slips and falls.
Hsiao-Wecksler advises people to try to break falls with their hands, if possible.
"When the young fall, they tend to fracture their wrists," said Hsiao-Wecksler. "And the older tend to fall and fracture their hips."
When researchers, including Hsiao-Wecksler, tried to determine why that is, they found that the young tend to break their falls with their hands.
"I would suggest people do that, no matter which direction you're falling," she said. "It's a lot easier to break your wrist than your hip. There are so many more complications with the hip than the wrist."
She also recommended the following tips to stay safe on snow and ice:
- Use handrails.
- Put out salt if you know it's going to be icy. Sand is also a possibility because it provides shoes better traction in ice and snow.
- Wear appropriate shoes, something with rubber soles rather than high heels.
- Slow down.
- Be aware of your surroundings - avoid ice patches and watch out for items hidden in snow or ice on the ground.
The National Safety Council said there are other concerns about shoveling snow and staying healthy that people should consider that include:
- People over 40, or people who are normally inactive, should be especially careful shoveling snow.
- If you have history of heart trouble, don't shovel without a doctor's permission.
- Shovel only fresh snow; powdery snow is easier to shovel than packed snow.
- If you run out of breath, take a break.
- Avoid exhausting yourself.
- Dress warmly. Be especially careful with the extremities such as the nose, ears, hands and feet.
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