Take care when shovelling

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This article was published 05/01/2017 (3221 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

By taking a few simple steps before they trudge outdoors, snow shovellers can save themselves a world of pain, Garry Melnyk and Dr. Raman Gill advise.

Melnyk and Gill are two of a team of professionals at Accelerated Back and Neck Rehab Centre,  located at 14B – 2188 McPhillips St. Melnyk, a certified massage therapist and Gill, a chiropractor, are joined by an athletic therapist to provide a multi-faceted approach to injury treatment and rehabilitation. A physiotherapist will also be joining them at the end of January.

Before heading out to shovel, stop and consider the amount of exercise you are about to engage in, Gill said, as it is a lot more than the three sets of 10 many people do at the gym.

“Each shovel full should be no more than 15 pounds (seven kg). If you are shovelling that every five seconds, after 15 minutes you’ve moved 2,700 pounds (1,225 kilograms).”

Think of that as shoveling a the equivalent of a Honda Civic every 15 minutes. Best to warm up inside first, Gill said. Perform some basic squats and trunk rotations while also stretching your arms.

Once outside, take your time, Melnyk said. Especially during the busy holiday season, many people rush through the job and display poor technique. That results in many injuries to the back, neck and shoulders.

Begin with having your feet roughly shoulder-width apart, he said. Then use your entire body to lift by bending the knees and then standing up. That spreads the lift across multiple muscle groups. When faced with a large drift, lift a smaller piece at a time.

Do not toss the snow more than three feet away, as further distances consume more energy and increase the chances of pulls and strains. Whenever possible, throw the snow straight in front of you instead of to the side, as throwing to one side causes the body to rotate and increases your injury risk. Try and keep the snow evenly distributed on the shovel as an uneven load can also cause damage.

Gill acknowledges that in some situations people might have to throw snow to one side, In those instances, try and reverse your positioning so each side of your body gets a similar workout.

“Don’t constantly twist one way,” Gill said. “A lot of injuries I see are because people are always shovelling to the side they are comfortable with. Think of it as being at the gym. Would you only work one side of your body?”

Also know your limits, Melnyk cautioned.

“Instead of doing the entire job at once, pace yourself. Do some, then come in and rest. Then do some more later on.”

Never shovel after a heavy meal, smoking, or drinking caffeine, Gill advised.

Snow-related injuries and slips and falls are the two most common types of injuries Melnyk and Gill see. If you experience either, begin with icing the area for 20 minutes every two hours. Then make an appointment to see a medical professional before the injury becomes chronic.

“With chronic injuries, you have work to do just to get back to where you were before,” Melnyk explained.

Coming in when your condition is still acute often makes it easier to treat and the recovery time is often shorter.

When seeking treatment, a multi-disciplinary approach has its advantages, Gill, a lifelong Maples resident, said.

“You have multiple sets of eyes looking at the injury. Garry’s trained in something different than what I am trained in.”

Garden City resident Melnyk agreed.

“I’ve always paired up with a chiropractor, as I’ve found it to be a good combination. I may be massaging a person and I notice their spine isn’t moving properly, one shoulder is up, or something is amiss with their hip. In those cases I refer them to Gill and if he sees someone with muscle issues he refers them to me.”

“That’s why we want a one-stop shop,” Gill added. “We want to get the person better by relaxing the muscles, setting the alignment and then conditioning the muscles. It’s a team effort.”

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