Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow( Don't let snow shoveling ruin your wi...),Health

Don't let snow shoveling ruin your winter wonderland

ROSEMONT, Ill., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Snow shoveling tends to be an unpleasant task -- this mundane seasonal chore combines heavy lifting and cold weather, resulting in possible injuries to the back, shoulder muscles if shovelers do not take the proper precautions. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) (www.aaos.org) has recommendations to help you stay safe while clearing snow so you can still have some winter fun.

According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission:

• In 2007, more than 118,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices, clinics and other medical settings for injuries sustained while shoveling or otherwise removing ice and snow manually.
• In that same year, more than 15,000 were injured using snowblowers. This is three times as many snowblower injuries than in 2006.
• Types of injuries can include sprains and strains (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111), particularly in the back and shoulders, as well as lacerations and finger amputations.

"People tend to think of snow removal as just another household task, but it really involves a lot of bending and heavy lifting, particularly in wet snow," says Robert Dunbar, MD, spokesperson for the AAOS and member of the Academy's Leadership Fellows Program. "It may be especially dangerous for people who do not regularly exercise (ht
'/>"/>