Bent Versus Straight Handled Shovels

January 21, 2015

Our last blog talked about the hazards and risks associated with snow shoveling.  And there are many associated with musculoskeletal aches and pains, especially to the lower back.  This blog talks about the pros and cons of using a bent-handled shovel versus the traditional straight shovel.

Snow shoveling sends on average 11,500 people to hospital every year for various injuries (American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2011, WebMD New Archive, 2011).  The study, done by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that the majority of muscle injuries are to the lower back (34%).  Many researchers are in agreement with this and show that the forward bending and lifting of loads in front of the body is the main reason for this.

The  straight shovel is a big contributor to this.  Its design forces the body to bend down to grab the long handle and then lift upwards while also lifting outwards, which is an action “away from” the body.  This action puts the lifting force further out in front of the body. A newer type of handle, the bent handled shovel (seen below), shows good ability to reduce these negative effects.   Lewinson et al conducted a study in 2013 to determine the impact of the bent-handled shovel on the forces in the lower back.  Their study showed 16% reduced forces and reduced negative angles in the lower back with the bent-handled shovel compared to the straight-handled one.  They concluded that the bent handle can likely reduce lower back joint loading during snow shoveling.  (Lewinson et al, 2014)

There is another new tool on the market, called the Heft (https://www.theheft.com/).  Although we have not tested it, the idea is a good one in that it is a handle that can attach to any tool handle.  It provides a higher place to grip the tool and brings the load closer to the body while allowing it to be lifted up (towards the body), rather than out.

Of course, it is always important to choose the right shovel for you, considering factors such as overall weight of the shovel (try to keep it light), length of the handle relative to your height, size of the bucket (too large and it will allow you to lift too much weight), etc.

References

Lewinson, R., Gholamreza, R., Robertson, D.Gordon., Influence of snow shovel shaft configuration on lumbosacral biomechanics during a load-lifting task.  Applied ergonomics, 45(2):234-238.