How to Shovel Snow Safely

Once winter arrives and the snow starts falling-lots of us just want to hibernate until spring thaw. Unfortunately, unless you've just won the lottery-that's just not possible-so we're forced to deal with the cold and the snow. Now, you wouldn't think shoveling snow would require a lot of thinking-but a cubic foot of slushy snow can weigh almost as much as a cubic foot of water (62 lbs.)-needless to say, it can get quite heavy! Even worse, each year we hear about people who have had heart attacks or strokes while shoveling snow in their driveways. Here I'll give you some tips on how to shovel your snow properly-and safely!

Things You'll Need

• Warm clothes, boots and mitts
• Lightweight snow scraper and shovel
• Spray on lubricant (WD-40) or cooking spray

Instructions

1. Try not to let the snow pile up in your drive. If there is a blizzard, you obviously can't do anything about the accumulation, but if the forecast is for small amounts of snow over a few-day stretch, it's much easier to move a small amount every day, than a big pile you've let build up.

2. Before you go out to shovel your driveway, warm up your body and muscles. Try walking on the spot for a couple of minutes and doing some slow stretching (torso twists and knee bends).

3. Dress warmly and try to cover all exposed skin. On a really cold winter day, the wind can freeze exposed skin in just a few minutes.

4. Consider using two shovels to clear your snow. One should be a lightweight pusher/scraper to move the snow off to the sides, and the other, a lightweight plastic or aluminum snow shovel to lift the snow.

5. Get shovels that are an appropriate size for you. You can get scrapers that range from 18 inches all the way up to 36 inches, so don't get a scraper that' s too big for you to comfortably handle.

6. Bend your knees and avoid using twisting and turning movements when shoveling. Use the strength in your arms and legs to lift the snow while keeping your back straight. Lifting snow is just like lifting any other heavy object-and proper lifting and turning techniques are essential.

7. Take breaks. Shoveling snow is hard work and most of us aren't in shape for doing weightlifting.

Tips & Warnings

• Spray the shovel and scraper with WD-40 or cooking spray to prevent the snow from sticking.

• Some people use only a scraper to clear their snow; however, a scraper isn't designed to lift snow and it actually makes the job harder. Use a proper snow shovel to lift the snow.

• Try and figure out the best pattern to clear your snow. Scraping a path down the middle of a double drive and then scraping from the middle to each side is much easier than scraping from top to bottom.

• Doing some light stretching on a regular basis in the fall before the snow arrives can make your snow shoveling easier come winter.

• Don't ignore back or chest pains. If you feel a pain in your chest or back, stop shoveling immediately. If the pain persists, see a doctor ASAP.