Shoveling snow isn’t something you do year round, so when winter rolls around, it’s not uncommon for people to experience back pain. This is because not only is it not something we’re generally accustomed to, but also, it’s something that we end up doing a lot of. If you’re not prepared for that, it can lead to back pain from shoveling snow. Here’s what you need to know about why shoveling snow can hurt your back.
Why Your Back Hurts When You Shovel Snow
Back pain from shoveling snow can occur for a variety of reasons. Using an ineffective shovel can make your back muscles have to work harder than a more ergonomic one. Poor posture can contribute, as well as not lifting properly or trying to tackle too much at a time. Utilizing proper equipment and lifting techniques are surefire ways to reduce your risk of back pain this winter.
How Chiropractors Can Help
Thankfully, back pain is something that can be treated with chiropractic care. Chiropractors will assess your back and conduct a comprehensive exam in order to ensure that they are able to know exactly what the problem is. Your back pain could be a result of injury, from muscles being strained, ligaments could be damaged from a sprain, and it could even stem from injury of one of the discs or facet joints in your spine.
Once chiropractors understand the root cause of your back pain, they’ll come up with a personalized treatment plan. This can include spinal adjustments, to realign your spine, manipulation, to increase blood flow to your muscles, as well as other therapies such as spinal decompression therapy, Class IV laser therapy, vibration plate therapy, spinal traction therapy, and more. Your chiropractor will determine what would be best for you, personally.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons why people see chiropractors. When you see a chiropractor for your back pain, you can rest assured that you are receiving expert care that will get you healthy again.
Preventing Back Pain From Shoveling Snow
Luckily, preventing back pain from shoveling snow can be avoided through exercising proper biomechanics and following these strategies.
- Don’t Forget To Warm Up!
Shoveling snow is exercise, which means it’s important that you warm your body up before hand. Stretching and doing warm up exercises such as jumping jacks will get your blood pumping and your muscles ready for the exertion they’re about to be put under.
- Make Sure You’re Lifting Properly
Improper lifting techniques can seriously hurt your back and put your muscles under undue strain. When you shovel snow, make sure that you’re not lifting with your back, but with your leg muscles, bending from your knees and hips. You want to hold the snow close to your body and avoid twisting. Holding your shovel with one hand by the blade and one further back will make it more stable, and easier on your back.
- Take Your Time With Deep Snow
If you’re dealing with deep snow, don’t try to lift it from the ground up. Snow is heavy, so you want to work in layers, to avoid putting stress on your spine and potentially breaking your snow shovel.
- Use Proper Gear
Trying to shovel snow with improper footwear makes it a lot harder to maintain stability, which is vital for preventing back pain from shoveling snow. Make sure you’re using sturdy boots with a good tread, so that you aren’t slipping and sliding all over the place.
Strengthening your core, stretching, and working a bit at a time all make it so that you’ll be able to reduce your risk of back pain from shoveling snow this winter. If you do have back pain though, you don’t have to grin and bear it. Chiropractic treatment can help you get back to normal and prevent any issues from potential escalation. Back pain and potential back injury from snow shoveling are both preventable and treatable. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help or advice!
Are You Suffering From Back Pain From Shoveling Snow?
It’s not uncommon for back pain to increase over the winter due to shoveling snow. Elite Chiropractic can treat back pain and advise you on how you can work to prevent it. For any questions, to schedule an appointment, or for more information about our chiropractic services, please contact us today!
Leave a Reply