Michigan Winter Warning: 11,500 Snow Shoveling Injuries Send People to the ER Every Year
The Danger in Your Driveway
Research Provided by Foundation for Chiropractic Progress Source: Xia, Y., et al. (2008). Snow-shoveling injuries in the U.S. Pediatrics, 122(3), e591-e596.
The Danger in Your Driveway
The snow begins falling across Oakland and Wayne Counties. In Farmington, Livonia, Novi, Birmingham, Southfield, and West Bloomfield, residents reach for their shovels without a second thought. It's just snow removal—a routine winter chore that millions perform every year. Yet research reveals a startling truth: every winter, 11,500 people visit the emergency room for snow-shoveling injuries.
Even more concerning? About 34% of these injuries affect the lower back, making it the area most at risk. That beautiful snowfall blanketing your West Bloomfield driveway or covering the sidewalk at your Farmington Hills home conceals a genuine threat to your spine.
Why Winter and Backs Don't Mix
Winter snow shoveling is risky for reasons most people never consider. Heavy lifting, twisting, and bending on cold muscles strains your spine in ways that summer activities rarely do. Your muscles are tighter in cold weather, less prepared for sudden exertion. The repetitive motion of shoveling—lift, twist, throw, repeat—creates cumulative stress that healthy spines struggle to absorb.
Add the weight of wet Michigan snow, the awkward angles required to clear walkways, and the pressure to finish quickly before work, and you have perfect conditions for back injury. Livonia residents clearing long driveways, Birmingham homeowners maintaining pristine sidewalks, Southfield professionals rushing before their morning commute—all face the same risk.
The injuries range from muscle strains that sideline you for days to herniated discs that require months of recovery. Some victims never fully return to their pre-injury function. All of this from a chore that seems so ordinary.
Smart Shoveling Starts with Spinal Health
Prevention works on two fronts. Smart shoveling techniques reduce immediate risk: push snow rather than lifting when possible, bend at the knees rather than the waist, avoid twisting by turning your whole body, and take frequent breaks. These habits protect you during the activity itself.
But the deeper protection comes from maintaining spinal health before winter arrives. A spine that's properly aligned, with muscles that are balanced and flexible, handles the demands of shoveling far better than one that's already compromised. Regular chiropractic care prepares your body for winter's challenges.
Your Winter Wellness Team
At Cromwell Family Chiropractic in downtown Farmington, Dr. Jonathan Cromwell, Dr. Timothy Shaw, Dr. John Dimitriou, and Dr. John Wetherbee help patients throughout Oakland and Wayne Counties prepare for and recover from winter's physical demands. Whether you need preventive care before the snow flies or recovery support after a shoveling strain, our team provides the expertise you need.
We serve patients within a 15-mile radius, including all of Farmington Hills, Livonia, Novi, Birmingham, Southfield, and West Bloomfield. With over 300 five-star Google reviews, families trust us to keep their spines strong, aligned, and pain-free all winter long.
Don't become one of the 11,500. Visit www.cromwellfamilychiropractic.com or call (248) 477-1492 to schedule your winter spine assessment. Your back will thank you when the next storm hits.
