Safe Way to Shovel Snow
Shoveling snow can be stress the body. Not only can you strain your back, but if you are not using the shovel correctly, you could end up with sore arms, back, neck, hands and legs. If you try to remove too much snow at one time, you could cause other health problems for yourself, including a heart attack. There are some ways to safely shovel snow that will not strain and stress the body. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Think about your health before venturing out the door to shovel snow. If you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, a history of heart disease, smoke or have had a heart attack, you may need to have someone else shovel the snow for you.
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Dress properly when going outdoors to shovel snow. Wear clothes in layers, so if you start overheating, you can remove one layer. Wear a hat, gloves, waterproof winter boots and a face mask that covers your mouth and face.
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Walk around the house to loosen up the muscles before venturing outside where the temperatures are cold. If you can, do some leg stretches, arm stretches and some waist bends to loosen up the back muscles.
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Select the right shovel to use. If you are a tall person, you need a shovel with a longer handle. If you can't bend very well, there are ergonomically shaped shovels that have a bend in the handle at the bottom so you can stand straight and move the snow without bending, and snow pushing shovels that don't require you to lift the snow but only push it.
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Remove snow in small amounts to avoid heavy lifting. This is especially important if you have more than a couple inches of snow. Shovel a small area and throw the snow or push small amounts if using a push shovel.
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Lift the snow correctly if you must lift and throw the snow. Bend at the knees with your legs spread apart so they are perpendicular to the hips. Tighten your stomach muscles as you lift the snow and throw the snow to the snow pile without twisting your body. Move your feet to point in the direction where you will throw the snow and take one step in the direction you are throwing the snow.
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References
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