Easy Tips to Prevent Winter Back Injuries

Winter is a fun season, but it also brings low temperatures and icy surfaces that lead to injury. Back injuries are often caused by shoveling snow in winter months. The Los Angeles spine surgeon suggests the following simple tips to avoid injury:

Protect Your Back While Shoveling Snow

Shoveling snow is a major cause of spinal pain and injury, but it can be prevented.

Get an Ergonomic Snow Shovel

A snow shovel with a curved handle or adjustable handle length can reduce the painful bending and arching. A lightweight and small blade on the shovel can help in decreasing the amount of weight you pick up, further reducing a chance of injury.

Use Your Legs, Not Your Back

When you get down to shovel snow, try to bend knees without rounding your lower back. To lift snow, put force with your legs instead of forcing your back muscles to do the work. Wear a back brace or lifting belt for a precaution and for correct posture.

Keep Your Movements Compact

Try to reduce body twisting to the side to move snow with extended arms. Always keep your shoulder square and face the snow while shoveling. Keep the shovel close to your body while you get to the spot you want to deposit snow.

You can follow these recommendations and still may feel back pain. You can purchase a snow blower to avoid shoveling if you are experiencing severe pain.

Minimize Your Chance of Falling

Slips and falls usually occur during the winter season, due to black ice or slippery floors. Following steps can be taken to cut down the risk of falls as much as possible.

• Hold a wall or handrail when walking down stairs or outside, even if the steps don’t seem to be icy.
• You can melt down the snow by showering a light coat of salt on outdoor walkways after a snowfall to reduce slipperiness.
• Put on high-quality winter boots to help you grip the ground firmly and stay balanced.
• Stock up on groceries before a storm hits to avoid going outside during bad weather conditions.
• If you feel any kind of pain, don’t take risks. Ask a neighbor to help you out with picking mails or take out your garbage.

If you ever feel you are about to fall, try to land on your side or hips. Don’t fight the fall, try to naturally roll over, allowing your head to move in the direction of the roll.

Follow these simple tips and stay safe when you go outside this winter season. Keep yourself warm with appropriate clothing against extreme low temperatures. Seek immediate medical assistance if you get injured during the winter season. If you are living with any kind of spinal pain or injury, you can consult a reliable spine surgeon in Los Angeles for a thorough check-up and successful results.