The winter storm that socked the region Friday night and into Saturday morning, dumped nearly two feet of snow in some areas. Clearing it is a sizeable and potentially dangerous job.
Doctors who specialize in sports medicine and exercise say removing snow by hand can cause pain in your neck and back, but really any part of your body is at risk. "People complain of everything from back pain to neck pain to shoulder pain to knee pain," said sports health expert Dr. Susan Joy. "And if you're not careful and you slip because you're not careful with your balance, you can certainly sprain something, sprain an ankle. So basically any part of your body that you're using in that motion, which is most of it, you can injure. So be careful."
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) also points out that snow removal places high stress on the heart, so it's a good idea to check with your physician before undertaking the task. If you have a medical condition or do not exercise regularly, consider hiring someone to remove the snow.
The AAOS also emphasizes dressing properly and pacing yourself. Warm up your muscles before you begin with about 10 minutes of light exercise. Be sure to include your leg muscles. Heart attacks and similar injuries are sometimes the result of working the smaller muscles of your arms and back while not using the large muscle groups of the legs.
Take frequent breaks, especially if you're getting too hot or too cold. Use an appropriate-sized shovel, and push the snow instead of lifting it as much as you can. If you have to lift it, take small amounts and lift with your legs. And don't throw the snow to the side or over your shoulder because the twisting motion involved stresses your back.
Those with snowblowers may think they're less susceptible to beinghurt, but statistics show, a significant number of injuries among theirranks. The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission found that in 2007more than 16,000 people were injured using snowblowers. In some cases people suffered severe cuts oreven lost a finger while clearing snow.
Doctors also warn that if you feel any muscle pain while shoveling, stop. If you feel short of breath or have chest pain get medical help right away.
