Protect yourself against injury from snow and ice
Ready to clear the snow from your walk or driveway? If you’re dealing with wet, heavy “heart attack snow,” first make sure you’re healthy enough for the task. If not, try to find someone who is, to do it for you. Besides the snow and the cold, even a thin coating of ice can cause serious injury. Keep these 3 safety tips in mind:
Use the right shovel or snow blower for your needs. Our testers have plenty of advice on which work best, and safer snow-shoveling techniques.
Take it easy in cold weather. Your body is already working hard just to stay warm, so don’t overdo it, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about avoiding hard work in the cold.
Avoid ice. Slipping and falling on ice-covered sidewalks, steps, driveways, and porches cause many cold-weather back, hip and knee injuries. You can attach cleats to your shoes or boots to make walking outside less treacherous. And use rock salt, sand, or another chemical de-icing compound to keep your steps and walkways as free of ice as possible.
—Doug Podolsky
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