How to avoid injuries from shoveling

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Feeling achy and sore after days of shoveling? Here's what you can do to avoid some of that pain the next time around.

There's really no way you can totally prevent getting sore from shoveling, but you can certainly take steps to avoid serious injuries.

The massive snow proved challenging to move and days of shoveling takes a toll on the body.

"I've got a couple of bumps and bruises from hitting myself with the shovel and mostly my lower back and my knee hurts," said Dan Small of Old Lyme.

Most of us are still feeling the affects for good reason.

"I had two shovel two driveways, 3 walkways, under about three feet of snow, mixed with slush and ice," said Small.

A critique from Physical Therapist Kyle Leonard at Hartford Hospital should help ease the pain in the next round of snowfall.

"You always want to use your legs whenever you're doing any kind of shoveling, similar to lifting something off the ground. Make sure you have a wide base of support, make sure you're bending your legs a little bit more," said Leonard. "The biggest thing with shoveling is you have to have concern for your lower back. You were actually bending over, nothing from the knees and the waist. Everything was from the waist. Your spine was probably at a 25 degree angle when you want to be more at 10 degrees. You're kind of here and here, keeping your abdominals tight."

When it comes to shoveling wet snow, Leonard said, "If it is wet, you kinda want to surface it, layer by layer, take 2 or 3 inches at a time. Move that, obviously pushing it, move that 2 or 3 inches at a time instead of trying to get underneath and taking all 24 inches to 30 inches."

Choosing the right shovel is also key.

"It's a light weight shovel which is nice with this heavy type of snow but you want to have a shovel that's a little bit taller for him and also bends so that kit kinda gets a little more friction and down there so you're not bending over so much with the smaller shovel," said Leonard.

Leonard says choosing the right shovel is like choosing a set of golf clubs, get one correct for your height. Also try to avoid any kind of rotational move. Be sure to warm up before and stretch out after shoveling.