Snow Shoveling Safety Tips

It wouldn’t be Winter in New York without snow, but with all that snow comes shoveling…and with shoveling comes the risk of injuring your back. Safe shoveling techniques along with regular chiropractic adjustments can help keep your spine healthy all winter long. Here are our tips.

Warm-Up

You may not think of snow shoveling when you think of exercise, but your body can’t tell the difference. Treat snow shoveling as you would any form of physical activity and warm-up.

• Warm-up your arms, back, and legs with some static stretches
• March in place for a few minutes to get your blood pumping
• Get those hamstrings ready! They are a major muscle group that impact your lower back and put in some major work while shoveling

Use the Right Equipment

The right equipment can help prevent injury while shoveling. Make sure your shovel is the right size. A shovel with a handle that is too long can cause you to strain too much while lifting the heavy snow simply because it is too far from the center of your body. A shorter handled shovel can help reduce the strain on your back. You can also consider an ergonomic shovel that helps prevent the need to bend forward while shoveling.

Get Adjusted at Williamsburg chiropractic

To help prevent injury from snow shoveling or treat an already existing injury, get adjusted at your local Brooklyn chiropractor. To request an appointment, just click here! Please keep in mind our hours are adjusted for the holidays as follows:

• Closed 12/24, 12/25, 12/27, 1/1
• Open 12/31 until 5 PM