Winter Shoveling Season: Preventing Muscle Strains and Back Injuries During Middlesex County Snowstorms

The forecast calls for eight inches. Within hours, East Brunswick transforms into a winter wonderland that needs clearing before you can leave your driveway.

Shoveling snow seems straightforward until your back seizes up. Every winter, local emergency rooms overflow with residents who’ve strained muscles, tweaked their backs, or wrenched their necks while clearing driveways. These injuries are preventable.

Why Your Spine Makes You Vulnerable

Most people blame the physical act of shoveling for their injuries. The real culprit runs deeper. When your spine sits misaligned, your muscles must compensate constantly to keep you upright and functional. This compensation creates weakness and fatigue before you even pick up a shovel.

Think of spinal subluxations as creating a compromised system. Your muscles work overtime just to maintain normal posture. When you add the demands of lifting heavy snow repeatedly, those already exhausted muscles fail.

Proper Technique Starts Before the Storm

Preparation matters just as much as the actual shoveling. Before you head outside, take five minutes to get your body moving with a quick walk around the house, gentle marching in place, or a few easy leg swings and arm circles. In cold weather, your muscles and joints can feel tighter, so a simple warm-up helps get blood flowing and makes the work feel less jarring.

It also helps to use the right shovel for the job. If you can, go with an ergonomic shovel with a curved handle to take some pressure off your back and shoulders. A smaller blade is a smart choice too, since it keeps each scoop lighter and easier to control, even if it means a few extra passes.

“When your spine is properly aligned and your nervous system functions correctly, your body can handle the physical demands of snow removal,” says Dr. Ken Freedman, who has been in practice for over 40 years.

Push snow rather than lifting when possible. When you must lift, bend at your knees and hips, not your waist. Keep the shovel close to your body. Avoid twisting your torso to throw snow. Instead, pivot your entire body.

Take frequent breaks. Fifteen minutes of shoveling followed by five minutes of rest prevents the fatigue that leads to careless movements and injuries.

Painkillers Versus Real Solutions

Many people reach for over-the-counter pain medications after injuring themselves. These drugs mask symptoms without addressing underlying problems. Your pain signals that something is wrong. Suppressing that signal doesn’t fix the injury.

Chiropractic care corrects the spinal misalignments that made you vulnerable in the first place. Your body heals naturally when nerve communication flows freely and your structure sits properly aligned.

Recovery Without Surgery

Already injured yourself shoveling? Don’t wait for it to worsen. Ice the affected area for 15 minutes every few hours during the first 48 hours. Gentle movement often helps more than complete rest.

Dr. Freedman can assess your injury, provide targeted adjustments, and create a care plan that addresses both your immediate pain and the underlying issues. Most shoveling injuries respond very well to chiropractic care without surgical intervention.