Winter could be here any day now. With winter comes snow, and with snow comes snow shoveling. Shoveling snow is the cause of many muscle and ligament injuries and most commonly a cause of back pain. Did you know that shoveling snow is also a common cause of heart attacks?
In order to avoid injuries, snow shoveling should be treated the same as weight lifting. Therefore, you need to warm up before shoveling, cool down after shoveling, and most importantly you should not shovel snow if you have any pre-existing heart or other medical problems. Just as with exercising, you should check with you doctor or physical therapist before shoveling snow, to make sure that you are in appropriate physical shape for the job.
A series of simple exercises can be used as a warm- up before shoveling. These exercises include:

1. Active neck ROM (Range of motion)in all directions within a comfortable range.
2. Push-ups against a wall- feet approx 2-3 feet form the wall.
3. Marching in place for 2 minutes
4. Toe and Heel Raises
5. Shoulder circles
6. Back Extension (Back bends) through a comfortable ROM
7. Knee to chest stretches

Backpacks are the practical choice for students and commuters alike, but in recent years they have become somewhat of a fashion trend for school age children. As a result, health care professionals, including physical therapists, are treating increasing numbers of children with backpack-related injuries.
Neck, shoulder and back pain are the main complaints. While these pains do not typically last long, the risk of developing long lasting problems warrants a closer look at the use of backpacks and at ways of decreasing these risks.
While there is no consensus on how much load is too much, it may be equally important how the weight is actually carried. Recommended guidelines vary between 10% and 15% of your body weight.
The way the weight is distributed and the absorption properties of backpacks are some of the key features to consider when selecting and safely wearing a backpack.
The load in the backpack can be more evenly distributed across the body by wearing both shoulder straps and waist belts, using backpacks with separate compartments, and by loading the backpack so that the heaviest items are closest to the body. Choosing backpacks with broad and padded straps that fit snuggly to the body also help absorb load. The addition of a back support piece provides an advantage with the load positioned next to the body.
Physical therapists play a role not only treating the pain caused by backpack-related injuries but also a preventative role by educating patients on backpacks and help correcting your posture. For an individualized analysis of your backpack, or for a full postural evaluation, please contact one of our offices for an appointment with a physical therapist.
In addition, some of our therapists at CPAT are actively involved in educating parents and students in Howard County public schools by giving talks and seminars on this topic- call our Columbia location for more information!