Leeds chiropractor Alison Eaves at Revive Chiropractic in Adel, North Leeds has some advice for surviving the snowy weather without suffering from back pain.
So we all love snow? OK not everybody loves the white stuff but for lots of people it is a welcome sight. Well not for back pain it’s not. Last week’s chiropractor blog looked at surviving the icy conditions but the weather has stepped up a notch and now it is snow we have to worry about. Clearing snow is a high risk activity don’t you know??! So rather than setting off an episode of low back pain and have you reaching for the phone to book an appointment with a chiropractor, read on to find out how to minimise the risk of injury to your low back.
Beware of the Snow Shovel
The snow shovel is to low back pain what The Joker is to Gotham City, the enemy! When shovelling snow there is a tendency to stand stooped forward for a prolonged period of time and this puts pressure on the low back. Then you load up the shovel with heavy snow putting extra weight and extra strain on the low back. Add in a bit of rotation and a twisting movement and you get the triple whammy of flexion, rotation and a heavy load and you are asking for trouble. Think it couldn’t get any worse for back pain? Wrong! You repeat this movement 10, 20, 30 times or more, each load weakening the low back joints, ligaments and soft tissues more and more each time. A sprain/strain of the lumbar facet joints can easily occur or worse still a lumbar disc injury.
How to beat the snow shovel
1) Take regular breaks
Stand upright for about 30 seconds and have a small walk around
2) Don’t shovel as much snow
Load less snow onto the snow shovel
3) Maintain slight co-contraction of your core musculature whilst shovelling
This will help maintain muscle tone and support the spine.
What to do if you suffer back pain afterwards
Put an ice pack (or some of your snow!) onto the injured/painful area of the back, making sure you cover the ice with a tea towel or similar as direct contact of ice on the skin will result in an ice burn. Keep the ice on for 15-20 minutes and repeat on the hour throughout the day. Try and keep mobile as doing nothing will cause the entire back to seize up and become even more painful.
If you are still suffering after 3-4 days then I would recommend you call Revive Chiropractic in Leeds on 07828 686026 and book a chiropractic consultation.
