BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Many Mainers used Tuesday as an opportunity to shovel out their cars and homes before the next snowfall. But as the snow banks continue to rise so could the number of back injuries. There are new guidelines for overcoming back pain.
Shoveling after a crippling blizzard can be frustrating and hurtful.
“Besides your arms, shoulders, and neck… lower back is the biggest problem,” said Doug King.
As a licensed physical therapist, he says this is his busy season.
“In the summer, in the better months, we tend to be more active regularly,” said King. “In the winter we tend to do a whole bunch of activities infrequently. So you're setting yourself up for more of a problem. Your muscles aren't used to being worked.”
Improper posture, he said, is the leading cause of those injuries.
“All too often when we shovel, we tend to bend at the waist, which flattens this low back curve. Which will tend to stress these muscles,” said King.
Depending on your level of pain, you could wind up in his office.
“We want to get blood flowing; we want to get them relaxed so that you can now start moving freely again,” he said.
The American College of Physicians offers new recommendations for lower back pain including using heat and exercise first before prescription drugs are used.
King suggests applying heat to your joints and then cooling them down with an ice pack, followed by some stretching.
But that's not the only remedy…
“We can build a body that is able to support that kind of activity,” said Kasia Moffett, a certified yoga instructor.
She said yoga not only heals body aches but it can actually prevent them.
“Shoveling is probably one of the worst things we can do for ourselves because we're twisting our spines in an unsupported way with weight,” she said.
By practicing yoga, she says, we can train our bodies to keep a proper posture, preventing more injuries.
“We start to understand a little bit better what our body is trying to tell us. And then we can heal in a more holistic kind of way,” said Moffett.
Another way to stay safe while shoveling is by using a smaller, light weight shovel. Experts say this keeps you from lifting more than you should.