Ah, Wednesday. Or as it’s come to be known in the Maritimes lately… snow day. As another storm barrels its way toward us, inevitably when the flake stops flying several of us will need to dig ourselves out once again. Below are some tips to avoid injuries when shovelling the snow. Shovel safe!

Warm up – It may sound silly but shovelling constitutes exercise, and you should always warm up before you exercise! Loosen those limbs before you head outside: do a few stretches, gentle body twists, flex your arms, whatever it takes to feel yourself warm up.

Push it – Whenever possible, use the shovel to push the snow rather than lift and throw. It creates far less strain on your back and muscles this way. If you are in a position where you have to do some heavy lifting, be sure to lift from your legs, not your back and avoid twisting and tossing snow  over your shoulder.

Take breaks – Every fifteen minutes stand up straight, walk around a little, shake those legs and arms out, and grab a drink of water to avoid dehydration. Dehydration isn’t something we really think about happening in the dead of winter but it is a very real possibility! Listen to yourself – Your body will send some definitive signals if it’s being over-exerted. Slow it down, or stop if you need to. Don’t ignore the warning signals! Pain in your chest or shortness of breath are big red flags to definitely not ignore!

Skip shovelling – Although this isn’t an option for everyone, it is recommended that adults over the age of 45 who are not in good physical shape should not be shovelling at all. Hire the teenager down the street. He will probably appreciate the extra cash and it’ll save you a lot of time and wear and tear on your body.  

Source Url: http://gobelmont.ca/shovel-safe/