For many of us, depending upon where we live in this great country of ours, snow continues to pile up, despite the fact that spring has sprung and we should be enjoying trees blossoming in all of their beauty, rather than icy berms in our driveways. This means clearing snow, from driveways, decks and patios. For others who aren’t dealing with snow and ice, the following tips are also worthwhile to consider before taking that shovel to the dirt or moving winter’s detritus from yards. If we wish to maintain our health, we must be careful as to how we perform any physical activity.
Here is some helpful information on staying healthy:
Equipment Empowerment: Examine the tools you’re about to use, most specifically your shovel. You really aren’t helping yourself, or your yard of snow clearing, if you ignore your height and strength in relation to the utensils being used. When selecting a shovel, make certain the length and weight of this implement are in direct relation to what you can use comfortably. And for heaven’s sake, before you initiate your lifting and clearing, stretch your body! Your arms, back, legs and neck should engage in a non-too-strenuous warm-up before you tackle your work.
Avoid Back Injury: The shovel is usually the main, manual tool used when clearing a yard of snow or rubbish. One of the most problematic concerns rests with your back – with too aggressive an attack, your back can suffer from disc and/or ligament damage. When you’re about to deposit the snow or dirt to one side, use your arms and your body in one smooth motion. Keep your feet firmly planted in one spot. Using your legs and thighs to assist your upper body to deposit the unwanted materials to one side relieves the strain on your back.
Basic Bending: Remember, your spine was formed as a stable rod for your body, straight and true and able to withstand a considerable amount of weight while protecting your spinal cord. Don’t push your spine beyond its capabilities! When lifting, bend from your knees. Try to keep your spine as straight as possible. The wise worker also deposits the materials close to the area being cleaned up and doesn’t carry the weight over extended distances.
Pull It: Try to pull the snow or dirt from the area of concern, rather than straining to push it away. A tool you can easily construct to handle this for you requires a 4 x 14-inch piece of material (such as cardboard, metal, plastic or plywood) which is attached to the back of your garden bow rake’s tines using clamps or wire or screws. Use this incredibly effective device from an upright position, much as you would a household broom. There’s far less energy involved in sliding weight than bending down, picking up and moving the material.
Continue to enjoy your life by thinking before you act. Even the most miniscule physical activities can cause injury if done improperly for an extended period of time. The more health information you learn, the better equipped you are to stay healthy.