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In a region that has been battered by a blizzard and several other significant snowfalls during one of the most relentless winters in recent memory, shovelers are no doubt growing weary and feeling the aches and pains of digging out time and time again. For those dreading cleanup after yet another winter storm, we asked a UNH expert to offer some tips on how to avoid putting too much stress on the body while shoveling out. 

Storm after storm, repetitive shoveling can take a toll on not only the back but also the knees, shoulders, wrists and heart. To avoid any serious injuries, Dain LaRoche, professor of kinesiology and associate dean for research at UNH, shares some do’s and don’ts to stay physically safe at any age.

“While it seems simple, shoveling is actually a deceptively high-risk task, similar to other occupational tasks that require frequent lifting of heavy items,” says LaRoche. “It’s important to be aware of how to hold the shovel, how to lift the snow and to take it slow.”

Here are some of LaRoche's top tips:

The Shovel

• The shovel head should be kept as close to the body as possible to reduce impact on the lower back.
• Try to keep the torso as vertical as possible and lift with the legs.
• Ergonomic shovels that have a bend allow the shovel head to be closer to ground and can help minimize bending. 

How to Shovel

• Pushing snow is better than lifting.
• Avoid twisting to throw snow sideways, try to shovel snow straight ahead.
• Try to minimize how high you lift the snow which can increase the workload on back and shoulders. Avoid lifting above the waist.
• Swap arms periodically to distribute the weight across the body’s muscles.
• Taking smaller shovel loads will reduce the muscular load over time.
• Wet snow is significantly heavier than fluffy dry snow so take smaller ‘bites’ on the shovel to keep the load manageable.

Warm up

• Ease into shoveling until muscles warm up - muscles and tendons are less elastic when cold and may be more susceptible to injury.
• Wearing proper clothing is important to prevent overheating, sweating and causing additional strain on the cardiovascular system. Layer and remove layers as you get warm, put them back on if you get cold

Take a Break

• Be sure to take breaks. If there is a lot to shovel, break it up into sections.
• Stop when feeling fatigued, strained or weak – when mechanics might be compromised

Heed Heart Warnings

• Stop shoveling If you feel lightheaded, have chest pains, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, joint pain or other significant discomfort.
• Shoveling is heavy work that people may not be used to and can cause increased stress on heart, lungs and muscles.

“Shoveling makes the heart work harder because the upper body is doing intense effort while the lower body stays mostly still, which can cause blood to pool in the legs.” says LaRoche.

This elevated demand underscores the importance of taking precautions during extreme winter weather events, particularly for individuals with underlying health conditions. Overall, LaRoche reminds that ideally people should engage in strengthening, stretching and cardiovascular exercises throughout the year to stay healthy and help with overall aging but also help condition the body so shoveling is not so burdensome. 

LaRoche has expertise in physiology, biomechanics, technology, and human performance. His work bridges fundamental discovery with real-world application, examining how exercise and technology can enhance health and functional capacity across the human lifespan, from optimizing elite athletic performance to promoting mobility, independence, and vitality in older adults.