Upper And Lower Back Pain Problems Information, Treatments, Cures, Tips And Exercises

There comes that time of year, every single year, where we have to do physical activities that we may not necessarily want to do, but really have no choice. Even as I speak right now the snow was falling in Bellevue, and with snow comes shoveling of that snow. This is a seasonal activity that I categorize as "have to" activities as opposed to "want to" activities. Being that the snow is falling now let's talk about the seasonal activity of shoveling snow. The neat thing about this talk is that even if snow is not an issue where you live, this information can also be used in your gardening, digging, or any other yard related activities.

First, a few facts that help us appreciate why back pain is so common when we shovel:

1. When we bend at the waist, two thirds of our body weight is being held up and lifted and that's not to mention what your arty lifting. Now this means that 180 pound man has to lift 120 pounds of body weight every time he bends over.

2. a 5 pound weight equals 50 pounds if you hold it out in front of you, now think about the 10 or 20 pound weight on the end of your shovel.

3. Your legs will always be much stronger than your back or your arms. The problem comes in that most people use their arms, not the legs, when the shovel.

4. Technique is a vital component to understand when shoveling. Most people do the three worst things for the back when they shovel, which are, lifting with their arms and back, bending and twisting, and rapidly extending and twisting the back when throwing the snow from the shovel.

5. To make it all worse we do the same things over and over and over again, with bodies that are not in proper shape to be doing the activity in the first place. So, what do you do about it?

One way to prevent back injuries while shoveling would be to hire the neighborhood kid to do it for you. The fact is that the majority of our body weight lies above her belt, and we can't change that. What we can change is just how much snow or dirt we put on the shovel to decrease the load that is on our back. Another way that we can decrease the strain put on her low backs through shoveling is by squatting using your strong leg muscles in keeping your back as straight as possible. In other words do not bend over. Try sticking out your fanny (to keep an inward curve in your back), lift the shovel / load of material straight up with your legs, maintaining that arched back / butt out position. Keep your arms / elbows straight and walk the shovel load over to the dumping location - DON'T try and throw the load a distance by twisting your body. As with any activity make sure to take multiple breaks and use both your left and right hands.

If you do hurt your back - using an analogy of a cut on your skin -avoid picking at the cut so it can heal. If your back starts to hurt after shoveling, take a break, rest, ice, and then do some gentle stretches- DO NOT go back out and start shoveling again! Some wise considerations for shoveling include warming up before starting, staying "in shape" by regular exercise throughout the year, maintaining a good nutritional diet and getting enough sleep.