The winter can take a brutal toll on the body, especially when there is snow. Not only do I see an increase in injuries from slipping or falling, but I also see a lot of patients coming in with back pain due to shoveling. This past weekend we had 16 inches hit the Philadelphia area. And just yesterday, we got an additional 12-18 inches! We’re talking record breaking snow here.
Before you bundle up and head out to free your car or shovel your driveway and sidewalk, follow these simple steps and I guarantee you will prevent yourself a lot of hurt the following morning…
(Thanks for Dr. Lenny Roberts for the great article!)
Before you bundle up and head out to free your car or shovel your driveway and sidewalk, follow these simple steps and I guarantee you will prevent yourself a lot of hurt the following morning…
- Drink water and stay hydrated.
- Warm up. Especially if you are going out in the early morning. Do a couple jumping jacks or run in place. Get the blood flowing to your extremities.
- Shovel early and often. Don’t let it pile up.
- Use your legs, not your back. You may not look as good as your neighbor, but I promise you that will FEEL a lot better than he will the next morning. Feel free to give him my number!
- Stretch!!! Your body is not used to doing these types of motions so give it a well deserved cool down.
(Thanks for Dr. Lenny Roberts for the great article!)
Dr. Justin Snyder