Shoveling Tips to Avoid Pain from Chiropractor Dr. Brad Weiss

Natick MA

01 February, 2021

1:43 PM

Description

Push, Don’t Throw and Other Shoveling Tips to Avoid Pain Chiropractor Dr. Bradley Weiss, Performance Health Center, Publishes Advice for February 1 Storm Natick, Mass.—February 1, 2020—Throw snow from your shovel, and you could throw out your back instead, says Dr. Bradley (Brad) Weiss, Performance Health Center, Natick. As February’s first storm bears down, here are his tips for shoveling without strain or pain. Stretch/Warm-up Shoveling is physically demanding on your body; stretch gently, in advance, to warm up your muscles and joints. Stretch again when you finish to cool down your muscles. Dress in Layers You will heat up as you shovel. Dress in layers so that you can remove them. Hydrate Have a large bottle of water or an electrolyte drink to keep you hydrated. Push; Don’t Throw! It is best to push snow rather than lifting and tossing it. If you need to move the snow to the side, lift and turn your whole body. Quick rotational forces, coupled with a long lever arm of the shovel and a load of snow can be damaging to the discs, joints, ligaments and muscles of your spine. Switch Sides We all have our dominant side, and if you only shovel on that side of your body you will create asymmetrical stress and imbalance in your spine. It’s best to alternate sides every five minutes. Take Breaks Periodic breaks are important, especially if you feel your heart rate increasing. Hydrate, stand up straight, walk and stretch at least once every 20-30 minutes. Take Your Time Pace yourself. Slow and steady will still get the job done. Listen to Your Body If you have pain while shoveling, that’s a good time to stop. Pain is your body’s way of saying something is wrong. Listen to your body when you first get warning signs or you can cause greater damage. If you are in pain after and it feels like you have used muscles you haven’t used in a while, stretching and moist heat for 20 minutes on, one hour off (repeat if necessary), can give relief. If the pain is near your spine or a joint in your body, you probably injured a disc, joint or ligament. Ice is usually the preferred treatment for joint injury. If it is acute (new), for the first 24 hours, ice as often as you can—15 minutes on, 15 off, repeat. Always put a damp cloth between the ice pack and your skin. This advice does not replace proper medical attention. If in doubt, call or email your chiropractor for advice. About Performance Health Center Founded in 2002 by Dr. Bradley (Brad) Weiss, Performance Health Center is a multifaceted chiropractic healthcare facility in Natick, MA. We meet the health care needs of those who want to perform better in their lives—including active families, home-office workers, athletes and even Grammy-winning musicians. Our chiropractic doctors and staff use natural and state-of-the-art techniques that optimize patients’ health, improve function and decrease/eliminate pain without drugs or surgery. See performancehealthcenter.com. ###