- Most snow shoveling injuries are preventable, said Dr. Michael Parman, a local orthopedic surgeon at OSMS
- His top tip for snow shovelers who want to save their backs is to push the snow instead of lift it
- If you need to lift snow, Parman said to lift with your legs and keep your back straight - not hunch over
Ken Angle is relatively new to shoveling snow.
"I lived 65 years in Phoenix, Arizona," Angle said Tuesday in Allouez. He moved to Wisconsin for love, after meeting a woman from Green Bay.
And Angle spent part of Tuesday morning shoveling.
An orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists (OSMS) has some tips for Angle and any other shovelers who want to try to save their backs and joints.
Dr. Michael Parman's top tip is use a shovel to push the snow - instead of lifting it.
"That can certainly save your back, as well as your hips and knees from potential injury," Parman said.
If you need to lift the snow, "it's best to lift with you legs, so bending your knees, keeping your back straight, rather than hunching forward," Parman said.
Parman offered more tips for anyone shoveling:
-Warm up properly with simple stretches
-Know your limits
-Wear footwear with good traction, and
-Take breaks
"A lot of the injuries that we see can be prevented," Parman said.
Angle is trying to do just that.
"Take your time, nothing heroic," Angle said.
