Every Winnipeg winter brings two familiar injuries: the sore back after clearing the driveway and the bad fall on an icy sidewalk. Falls on ice are a leading cause of winter injury hospitalizations in Canada. Canadian Institute for Health Information data reported 442 hospitalizations in Manitoba from falls on ice in 2023/24. Here is how to lower your risk and what to do if you are hurt.
Why shovelling strains your back
Shovelling combines bending, lifting, twisting and throwing, often first thing in the morning when muscles are stiff and in the cold. Wet, heavy snow makes each shovelful heavier than it looks. Most shovelling back pain is a muscle or joint strain that settles with time and gentle activity, but it can be very painful for the first few days.
Safer shovelling habits
- Warm up first: a five-minute walk and some gentle movement before you start.
- Push rather than lift: use a pusher-style shovel and move snow in front of you when you can.
- Lift small loads: bend at your hips and knees, keep the load close and avoid throwing snow over your shoulder.
- Turn your feet, not your back: step to face where the snow is going instead of twisting.
- Take breaks and shovel early: clearing fresh snow in a few short sessions is easier than one heavy session after it packs down.
Shovelling is also hard on the heart. If you have heart disease, have had a heart attack or stroke, or are not usually active, check with your doctor and consider getting help. Stop and call 911 for chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back.
Preventing slips and falls on ice
- wear boots with good grip, and consider ice cleats for walking
- take shorter steps with your feet slightly wider apart, sometimes called walking like a penguin
- keep your hands free and out of your pockets so you can balance
- salt or sand your steps and driveway, and use handrails
- allow extra time so you are not rushing
If you have had a fall before, feel unsteady or are worried about falling, a fall prevention assessment can look at your strength, balance and home safety.
What to do if you have hurt your back
For a typical strain without warning signs:
- stay gently active, as resting in bed for long periods usually slows recovery
- use heat or ice, whichever feels better, for short periods
- change position often and take short walks
- return to normal activities gradually as pain allows
When back pain needs urgent care
Go to an emergency department or call 911 for back pain with numbness in the groin or buttocks, new problems controlling your bladder or bowels, rapidly increasing leg weakness, or pain after a significant fall, especially if you are older or have osteoporosis. A fall onto an outstretched hand with wrist pain, swelling or deformity also needs medical assessment for a possible fracture.
When to see a physiotherapist
Book an assessment if pain is not improving after a week or two, you have pain travelling down your leg, or it is stopping you from working, sleeping or caring for your family. A physiotherapist can assess your back, explain what is going on and give you a graded plan to get moving again. You do not need a doctor's referral to book.
If you were injured at work, for example clearing snow as part of your job, ask about WCB physiotherapy.
Back pain physiotherapy in St. Vital
Pro-Motion Physiotherapy is at Unit 4 - 567 St. Anne's Road in Meadowood, with free parking in front of the clinic. We treat back pain and sciatica, neck pain and injuries from falls, with evening and weekend appointments.
Book an assessment online or call (204) 560-2999. Read how to prepare for a back pain assessment.
Sources and further information
- Golden West: CIHI injury hospitalization data for Manitoba, 2023/24
- Heart and Stroke Foundation: signs of a heart attack and stroke
- SAFE Work Manitoba: workplace safety resources
This article is general information, not an individual assessment or diagnosis.