Snow Shoveling Basics: How to avoid a back blowout

As the joys of Christmas and the excitement of a New Year's dawning draw to a close, we are faced by the stark realities the calendar now has to offer:  Winter is upon us.  Short of heading off to a warmer place, we are left with the prospects of dealing with a few tough months.  The mercury plunges, giving the wind more bite.  An amazing transformation converts falling water into beautiful crystalline matrices, resulting in soft snowflakes that blanket all that is common with a soft, pristine newness. 

The beauty and wonder of the season fade quickly into the background when a sidewalk or drive needs to be cleared of the stuff. 

Studies from the mid - 1980's have documented what you may already know:  Snow shoveling can bring on unwelcome back problems. Specifically, the lowest lumbar intervertebral segment is particularly stressed with shoveling activity.  This can lead to aggravation of a previously recognized or unrecognized degenerative disc problem.  This is the usual underlying cause of one's back "going out". 

The mechanics typically used in shoveling are a set - up for disaster.  Specifically, the forward - bent position used when lifting a load places a huge pressurizing effect on the front portion of the lumbar discs, especially at the lowest point of the low back.  Pressures encountered through the lumbar region are greatly magnified by the weight of snow pushing down on the shovel.  Especially if compounded by the rotational torque produced in dumping snow off to the side, snow shoveling creates forces that can literally squeeze the soft center of one's disc rearward, tearing through the tough, surrounding fibrous material that normally holds the disc in place.  The resulting rupture can push the center of the disc - the nucleus pulposis - out into the spinal canal where it can impinge a nerve root.  The resulting "sciatica" pain can be severe enough to compare with the worst that a human may ever encounter.

As you prepare to do battle with the white wonder from above, keeping a few tips in mind can help prevent back injury:

• Minimize the torque on your low back by using a bent - handled shovel.  Let the shovel bend instead of your back.
• A plastic shovel blade is lighter than a steel one, placing less stress on your back.  A narrower blade will yield a lighter working load of snow, which can weigh up to 25 lbs.
• Don't lift the snow.  Push it.
• Do NOT twist with a loaded shovel.  Avoid throwing the snow, especially off to the side or over your shoulder.
• Start slowly in order to warm up your muscles.  Better yet, take a brisk walk before beginning to shovel.
• If you develop back or leg pain, STOP.  Don't try to work through it.  If your back pain persists despite rest and heat, consult your physician.
• Be a good neighbor.  Others may be older, in less good health, or have a physical disability that will place them at greater risk for harm with shoveling.
• Consider getting a snow blower.  Different models are available for large or small jobs.

Dr Smucker is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and has his subspecialty boards in pain medicine.  His medical practice focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of spine-related issues, using electro diagnosis (EMG/NCS) and image-guided interventions.  

ON THE NET:

YOUTUBE VIDEO: Showing how to shovel snow

SPINE UNIVERSE: More tips