Coping with Back Pain while Snow Shovelling
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By Marcia Fayt, Yoga Instructor and Back Pain Specialist Snow shovelling is the number one cause of back pain during the winter months. Although it can offer great exercise, and it gives you the opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine, shovelling snow can lead to injury. Before you set out with your shovel in hand, I recommend, as with all exercise programs and sports, doing some kind of warm up. Warming up the muscles will increase blood flow, relieve tension and prepare them for activity. Also, while snow shovelling remember to drink fluids, bend your knees when lifting, try to push the snow, ask the kids to help, and take frequent breaks. When we exercise our muscles tighten, causing the body to begin using deeper muscles. When these deep muscles become tight, they will begin to compress nerve roots threading from our spinal cord and out to the rest of our body. This is when severe back pain will begin to set in. This pain is actually telling us to take care of these tight muscles so that they can continue to work for us in all of our activities. Once the driveway is clear, make sure to take care of those hard-worked muscles. Remember, hours of snow shovelling is one exercise no one goes to the gym to train for. We expect our untrained muscles to suddenly kick into high gear, work intensely for several hours and then miraculously be fine. It is reasonable to expect some muscle stiffness after shovelling, but even this can be minimized with proper stretching. What is most important is to hold each stretch for two to three minutes to work through the deeper layers of muscles. This can help to open up blood capillaries and send nutrients and oxygen into those overworked muscles, helping them to rejuvenate and in turn help prevent any severe back pain episodes. You will also find it helpful to drink fluids after shovelling and having a warm epsom salt bath for about 20 minutes. Epsom salts help to increase blood flow, which help in cellular repair and rejuvenation of the muscles. I recommend the yoga stretches from the Floor and Wall Routine on my DVD, combined with the Supported Back Bend from the Upper Body Routine on the same DVD. If you do not have my DVD, try this:
To book an appointment with Marcia Fayt kindly contact Medcan Bookings Team at 416-350–5900 Marcia Fayt can be contacted at marciafayt@medcan.com |