Snow Shoveling 101 | Physical Therapy for everyBODY
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Snow Shoveling 101

Snow

Snowpocalypse hit the Pacific Northwest and left behind snow, sleet, hail, slush, and ice.  Last I heard, the groundhog was awaiting extradition from the Bahamas for his poor forecast this year.  As we move forward to finally getting out of the house, here are some key tips to remember while you are shoveling all that snow.

#1 – Use the shovel to push the snow – Walk with the shovel in front of you to push the snow out of your way.  Kind of like your very own snow plow.  This puts the snow in a nice pile ready to be lifted.

#2 – Bend your knees – do a squat to pick up the snow with the shovel.  Bend your knees and keep your back straight.  This is critical when the snow is heavy as it is now.  Make sure you have two hands on the shovel to distribute the weight.

#3 – Pivot your feet – when you are getting ready to throw the snow make sure you pivot your feet.  This allows your back to stay in a neutral position.  Twisting of the spine with a weighted load (like snow!) is the most common cause of injury to the low back.

#4 – Make sure to breathe – keep your breathing regular.  Holding your breath while you are lifting increases the pressure on your back.  Breathing also helps to improve your endurance.

#5 – Take a break – we’ve gotten a lot of snow this year and clearing it away will take some time.  Make sure you take regular breaks to head inside, warm up, and drink some water.

Snow shoveling is a great workout when you can’t get to the gym, yoga studio, or Crossfit box.  If you need more of a workout, offer to clear your neighbor’s driveway too!  Be careful with your body if you are not used to performing heavy lifting or endurance type activities.  Give yourself lots of breaks and keep an even pace.

If you have any questions regarding proper snow shoveling technique or if you hurt yourself in the snow, please reach out to us at PT4EB.

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Dr. Amy Konvalin

Dr. Amy Konvalin

Struggling with pain and dysfunction can impact every part of our lives — it drains our energy, distracts us from our goals, and keeps us from the people and activities we love. As an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Dr. Amy Konvalin understands how frustrating those limitations can be — and she knows how to help get you back to the life you want to live! Beginning with a focused evaluation, Dr. Amy works to determine the root causes of your pain, as well as understanding how it affects the way you move through your world. Dysfunctional patterns of movement often grow worse with time and cause further damage if left untreated — so it’s important to address these issues as soon as possible. Dr. Amy knows there is no one-size-fits-all plan for success, and she partners with patients to identify their unique treatment goals and personal values. Using these goals as a guide, Amy uses her doctorate training in manual (hands-on) therapy and exercise prescription to treat patients with a wide variety of medical challenges and histories throughout the Maple Valley, Black Diamond and Covington areas. Dr. Amy is also a wife to a Boeing superstar/former C-130 navigator. While they lived in Germany, Dr. Amy was able to volunteer with the US Army to treat military personnel and civilians on base. She has two beautiful teenage ballerinas who keep her on her toes and educate her on all things ballet! Bailey, the princess pup, is her running partner and her napping partner. In the spare moments in between, Amy enjoys reading, yoga, wine with friends, Pilates, and walking on the beach.
Dr. Amy Konvalin

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