Check these instructions from a specialist in ergonomics before you head out to tackle the beautiful white stuff:
Keep your spine in an upright, neutral position.
* No slouching or twisting.
* Bend at the hips and knees to get lower to the ground.
* Use your leg muscles to lift the load.
* Avoid throwing the snow if you can.
* Keep the load low to the ground and close to your body.
* If you must throw it, don't throw it far.
* Use the big muscles from the hips and legs to push the snow whenever you can.
* Adequate rest is critical.
* How long you can work depends on how heavy the snow is, your physical condition, and how cold it is outside.
* If you feel fatigue, pain, or shortness of breath, rest until you feel normal again. If you have shortness of breath for a prolonged period, see your doctor immediately.
* Using a snowblower is also physically demanding and requires rest breaks.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
