A shovelful of injuries - 2

Besides muscle strain and concussion which were discussed in the previous comic strip, there are other ways to get injured, known as mechanisms of injury.

A contusion is defined as a direct impact of the body against an object or surface. For example, falling on your buttocks after slipping on ice results in a contusion of the skin, the muscles of the buttock, and the underlying bones, with consequences ranging from a simple bruise (ecchymosis) to a bone fracture.

A joint sprain (not to be confused with strain) occurs when the joint is forced to bend beyond its limit, possibly tearing the ligaments that hold the joint together, and thus the joint can dislocate (subluxation, dislocation).

A laceration is a cut, either from a sharp object or a contusion, often resulting in bleeding.

The logic behind preventing lower back strain from shoveling snow is to minimize effort on the back muscles. Strengthening your back muscles, using more your thigh muscles by bending your knees instead of your back, and lifting smaller shovelfuls are all good preventative measures. Another way is to buy an ergonomic shovel which, thanks to the design of a curved handle instead of the standard straight handle, allows one to shovel with a straighter back (10 degrees straighter) and with less required effort on the back (17% less effort) [1].

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