February 5, 2010

As many Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents have already learned this winter, shoveling heavy snow can take a toll on your back. So, for this week's Make Dan Sweat, CBS19's Dan Schutte checked in with a chiropractor to learn the right way to shovel snow.

Chiropractor Chad Hawk has seen about 25% more patients since the shoveling season began in December. He says all that extra strain on the body can cause something called "sublixation."

"Sublixation is an interference in the nervous system. It's when it causes the muscles to tighten up, the bones to be out of place, the nerves that go to organs cells, and tissues not to work as well as they should," said Hawk.

Sublixation can be a painful problem, but Hawk says it can be avoided by using the right technique when shoveling.

"You want to keep you back as straight as possible when you're shoveling so you use your legs more. It's better to have sore legs from like a workout than it is to have a sore back that's broken," said Hawk.

We all know it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools, however, the right tool can go a long way in making this task a whole lot easier on your body. A shovel with a bend in the handle means you don't have a bend in your back.

And when the driveway is finally clear, Hawk suggests taking a few minutes to stretch.

"Afterwards is the most important, let the muscles relax, settle down, and cool down. Afterwards is so much more important physiologically than for anything else," said Hawk.

So, if you remember to lift with your legs, and not with your back, you'll be able to clear out anything mother nature send your way... even 20" of snow!