Injuries can occur while shoveling large amounts of snow. Here are 7 tips to stay safe while shoveling.

1) Stretch first: Don’t be in a hurry to get outside. Stretch thoroughly using the same sorts of moves that runners, mountain bikers and other athletes use.

2) Don’t move snow twice: Before you even take your first scoop, decide where you’re going to dump the snow. Drop the first shovelful farther away from where you are standing, then dump remaining snow closer and closer to where you are.

3) Maintain proper posture: Use your leg muscles as much as possible – push snow when you can and use your legs to lift when you can’t push it. Keep your back straight as you move from the squat position to the upright position.

4) Keep hydrated: Take bottles of water out with you and keep them accessible, either in the car or on the front stoop or somewhere else convenient.

5) Rest frequently Clearing an area by hand means that you may lift and carry anywhere from hundreds of pounds to tons of snow.

6) Don’t overdress You need to stay warm, but if you overdress you’re going to be soaked in sweat in no time. Dress in loose-fitting layers that you can peel off as you heat up.

7) Whenever possible, get a head start It’s easier to remove snow in thin layers than wait until all the snow is down to have at it. If it looks like your area is going to get dumped on, try to get out there and shovel it in several passes.

(Source: WABC)