Every year patients ask me what they can do to protect their lower back while shoveling snow. Here I will show the tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years to make this a bit easier.
First of all, shoveling is very intense activity. Snow can be heavy and sticky. Bending forward, twisting and exerting are the perfect stresses to injure your lower back. Unlike yardwork, it rarely snows enough to build up those muscles so you progressively go into the activity stronger.
Give these recommendations a try and let me know how it goes!
-Dr. Lauer