Avoiding Back Injuries While Shoveling Snow

Manage Back Pain

With a winter blizzard expected to hit New York City this weekend and up to a foot of snow anticipated in much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, physical therapists at Duke University Medical Center are offering advice on the best ways to avoid potential back injuries from snow shoveling.

Kurt Brooks, PT, DScPT, in the Department of Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy, said a variety of injuries can happen if shovelers do not properly prepare themselves for the task.

"When shoveling snow, it is always possible to pull a muscle if you are