Are You Ready to Shovel Off That Snowfall?
Snowmageddon. Snowpocalypse. These choice words describe disastrous snowstorms in America’s snowiest cities. While falling snow is synonymous with the festive season, it has a more nefarious side.
Good thing, this is something you can avoid with the help of snow removal services in Riverton, Utah. Each year, more than 16,000 homeowners sustain injuries that warrant a visit to the emergency room while shoveling snow. These injuries range from extensive blistering to heart attacks. What’s worse is hundreds of people die each year while clearing snow around their homes.
Before reaching for that shovel to keep the snow from piling around your house, consider a few crucial factors:
Are you in a position shovel snow?
As a homeowner, you might think that shoveling snow is just another household chore, but that’s not exactly the case. Taking on the piling snow can take a toll on your health and increase the risk of suffering a heart attack. That’s particularly true for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
The sudden exertion that comes from shoveling hundreds of pounds of snow for hours on end can put a massive strain on your heart. On the other hand, pushing a heavy snow blower can also cause you to suffer an injury. This is true for people who are above the age of 40 years and lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle.
Bending, twisting, and lifting — the primary action when shoveling snow — are a leading cause of herniated discs. If your body can’t handle the strain that comes with shoveling snow, you can end up throwing your back. You might end up throwing your back and suffering numerous health complications.
Are you familiar with snow shoveling techniques?
Most people are shocked to learn that there’s a technique to shoveling snow. You don’t grab the nearest shovel and head out the door as that is a recipe for disaster. For starters, you need to dress the part and stretch out for a little while to avoid muscular injuries.
Be sure to bend your knees while scooping the snow and straighten your legs while lifting. Doing so lets the legs do all the heavy lifting as opposed to putting all that strain on your back. Additionally, keep the shovel blade close to your instead of extending the arms which would further strain the back.
Switch sides as you shovel to avoid overworking the muscles on one side of the body. Be sure to alternate your grips, i.e., use both underhand and overhead grips while holding the shovel.
In heavy snowfalls, let’s say deeper than a foot, don’t try to scoop it out all in one go. Instead, scoop off the first six inches then rest and go for a second round. Lifting too much with each scoop not only leads to fatigue faster, but can also lead to an injury.
Shoveling snow off your driveway or front yard is not only a tedious chore, but also a dangerous one. If you’re not in the best shape of your life, this seemingly harmless activity might land you in the ER with a debilitating injury. Rather than gamble with your health and well-being, you are better off hiring a snow removal service.
At first glance, clearing snow is just a boring and tiresome chore for homeowners as the festive season rolls around. Unfortunately, shoveling snow can also lead you to endanger your health and wellbeing or lead to death.
