user experience: snow shovels

[cellio]

Often when (or after :-( ) shoveling snow I notice that, despite my best posture efforts, the shovel's handle is just too darn short. Bending at the waist invites lower-back complaints later, but sometimes I just can't do it all by bending at the knees. Sometimes I can "shovel" by (mostly) pushing snow around, but when I've got to lift and move snow, I become quite aware of the shortcomings of the tool. This has been true for every snow shovel I have ever used.

I'm 5'3". This has to be an even bigger problem for people who are much taller than me, right? So... what's the secret? Are there long-handled shovels out there? Do tall people just crouch more when shoveling? Inquiring minds want to know.

Comments

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I crouch a LOT.

The problem with long handled shovels is you quickly lose leverage on that lump of heavy snow.

These days I usually "shovel" in more of a continuous motion, bending my knees, cutting into the snow, then twisting and throwing it over one shoulder while extending my legs; a cross between a weight-lifting squat and the motion one uses with a scythe. It's very efficient and powerful and let's me launch the snow the 5-8' straight up that is required to clear our driveway...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I think illustrative diagrams or photographs would be an enlightening addition, if not too much trouble.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Hmm. It approximates a backhand face-off stance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwKIZfh8s6c&t=1m45s) in hockey...not sure if that's at all useful. Just, instead of throwing the puck along the ice, you sweep the stick more vertically, twist, and straighten your knees to send the snow up and over.

First you shove the shovel into the snow, then you do the thing above. Snow goes flying through the air while you advance a little bit and get the next bit of snow. You're basically throwing the snow blind, over your shoulder, to a location you've scoped out ahead of time, so beware of pedestrians wandering by...

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*takes notes* Thank you. :)

[cellio]

Do you have trouble with the twisting-while-lifting motion? (I mean later, not at the time.) My first lesson in long-pole torque came when painting with an 8' roller extension; I didn't know that I needed to be careful, and the next day that hurt.

Fortunately I don't need to achieve the amount of loft that you do; I have places to dump snow next to all the places I need to shovel, without having to achieve altitude.

[ralphmelton.livejournal.com]

This subtopic is particularly interesting to me because I also have a need for loft. I have considered ergonomic shovels, but held off in fear that I would find it harder to get the loft I need.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

Trouble: sort of. It uses the heck out of my obliques (muscles on the sides of the abdomen), so those are usually quite sore the next day if I'm out of shape. But snow shoveling usually wrecks me anyway, as I take less care not to overdo it than perhaps I should...

After I figured out I could turn my lead hand over, so I have my thumb away from the shovel head, things got a lot easier. It's kind of a sideways rowing motion.