If you are expecting snow in your area this winter, HomePro has some tips and facts to help your snow shoveling needs. This is because shoveling can be hard and can take a toll on the human body.  Studies show that shoveling snow is one of the most demanding and stressful workouts around. It is said that people reach the upper limits of prescribed aerobic heart rate after only a few minutes. This is because snow shoveling is hard on the heart because the cold air tends to narrow blood vessels and increase blood pressure.

The average shovel loaded with 16 lbs of snow ends up moving 192 lbs of snow if you load your shovel 12 times a minute. That is almost 2,000 lbs of snow in just 10 minutes. To say the least, snow shoveling is a lot of work. In order to stay safe when shoveling snow, here are a few pointers:

• Dress in several layers. This way you can remove layers as needed.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is just as big an issue in the cold winter as it is in the summer.
• Warm up your muscles before you shovel. Lessens the chance of an injury, much like stretching before any physical activity.
• Lift with your legs, not with your back. Keep your back straight and never bend at the waist. This will help prevent your lower back from twisting and alleviate any back soreness.
• Create distance between your hands. This will give you more leverage and make it easier to lift snow.
• Pick up smaller loads of snow. No need to show off and pick up 30 lbs of snow each time.
• Push the snow if it is applicable. You don’t always need to be lifting the snow. Save your back and energy by pushing the snow off to the side where it is out of walkways and driveways.
• Listen to your body. Stop shoveling if you feel pain or notice any heart attack warning signs. The last thing you want is a heart attack.