Shoveling snow is a hassle and many plow through the job as fast as possible, but experts say that could lead to injuries.
“You need to be making sure that you're turning with your feet and not your back when you're throwing snow.” says ergonomist, Trevor Schell.
Schell also stresses that picking the right size shovel is another tip for lessening the strain.
“A lot of the back injuries happen because once we do that twisting action, our back is only half as strong as it is when we're actually facing straight and moving snow. If it's the wet and sticky snow, you could do a wet Teflon spray or a Pam spray on your snow shovels, so the snow is not actually sticking.” says Schell.
At 68 years young, Sudbury resident, Mary Yackman, calls winter her “favourite season” and has learned to pace herself over the years when clearing snow.
"I try to make sure that I'm not lifting, I'm pushing, and pushing more than I'm lifting, just to make sure that my back is safe. If I feel fatigued, I like to stop. I'm of an age where perhaps a coronary concern would be realistic to consider."
Other expert tips include stretching in advance, bundling up, avoiding caffeine beforehand and breaking up the chore by going out multiple times, instead of doing it all in one shot.
