Once the snow starts falling, doctor's offices and emergency rooms fill up with people who have injured themselves either shoveling snow or playing outside. Injuries associated with snow removal are among the most common seen during the winter months. Falls and sports related injuries fill out the top three causes.

Snow Removal is a Dangerous Business -

For your average homeowner, snow removal is a chore. Few people regularly exert themselves to the degree involved in shoveling, so the first serious snow fall of the season results in strains, sprains, blisters and unfortunately, heart attacks as well. Using a snow blower instead of a shovel is no guarantee of safety either.

Shoveling is a very strenuous activity if the snow is deep or wet. The turning action associated with tossing the snow off the shovel places a great deal of strain upon the lower back, and can result in lower back strains, sprains and herniations if the disc is already damaged. Work slowly, bend at the knees and carry the snow to the edge of the driveway or sidewalk - dumping it rather than flinging it can reduce the risk of injury.

Snow blowers are dangerous in their own way. Never disable any of the safety features that came with your snow blower. People have injured fingers, hands and feet this way, and if a rock gets thrown, facial injuries can result. The torque involved when a large snow blower is running is significant and can cause back injuries if the machine "gets away" from the operator. Purchase a smaller unit and make more passes, you will be better able to control your machine.

Climbing ladders is dangerous enough during good weather. Needing to climb up a ladder on snow covered ground to remove snow piled on the roof adds an element of peril. Make sure that your ladder is on solid ground and is supported by another individual before you head on up. Don't reach to remove snow - come back down and move the ladder.

Have Safe Fun in the Snow -

Sledding, skiing and snowboarding all have inherent risk factors. When skiing or snowboarding you are moving at speeds close to 25 miles an hour or more. Twists and falls injure knees, backs and with the wrong positioning when you land, arms or necks. Sledding is lots of fun, but can be dangerous as well since stopping is not easy once you get going. Always wear a helmet to protect against head injury and sled feet first.

Even things as simple and innocuous as talking a walk can lead to slips and falls. Elbows, wrists and tailbones take the brunt of the fall, and get bruised or broken from time to time. Place sand or salt on the flatwork around your home to prevent others from getting injured on your property

Winter is a lot of fun and there are few things as beautiful as looking out your window on a clear morning and spotting fresh snow glistening on the yard. With a few precautions and a bit of common sense everyone can get through the winter without injuries.