Are Ergonomic Handled Snow Shovels Worth It?

Snow has been pretty scarce where I live in MN this winter so I haven’t had much opportunity to push and shovel snow.  We finally got some snow this morning—a little over an inch (I’m a snow lover so yes, I’m excited for even an inch or two of snow!).  I went out to clear the driveway with the shovel with my straight handled snow shovel.  One would think that as an ergonomist I must use the “ergonomic” handled ones, right?  Wrong.  I love my straight handled snow shovel.  [I put “ergonomic” in quotes because there are no standards for companies to use the term on their products.  I often find the term is misused by companies as strictly a marketing tool when their product has very little ergonomic design or benefits.  That’s a whole different topic which I won’t go into in this blog.]

So the question is, are ergonomic handled snow shovels better, the same or worse than straight handled?  Well, the answer depends on you—your body type/shape, the amount of snow and the design/shape of the handle and shovel itself.  In other words, I don’t think there is a clear cut answer.  I’ve bought ergonomic handled snow shovels in the past because I thought they would reduce the strain on my back and make snow removal easier only to find out in actual use that they were harder on my body to use compared to my straight handled shovel.  Why could this be?

The purpose of the ergonomic (bent) handled snow shovel is to reduce the strain on the lower back.  The sharp bend in the handle reduces the need to bend over when shoveling snow.  However, there are four other factors that contribute to the comfort and functionality of the shovel such as the material of the shovel (metal, plastic, fiberglass, and combination), length of handle, diameter of handle and size/shape of the scoop).  If any of those don’t fit you, then the shovel, regardless if it’s an ergonomic handled one or not, will prove to be cumbersome and require greater effort.

Here are some general tips to keep in mind for choosing a snow shovel:

• Match your strength. If you are a relatively weak person, a plastic or plastic/metal combination snow shovel with a smaller sized scoop is best as its light weight won’t wear you down.  However, that same type of small shovel will be wasted in the hands of a much stronger person
• Match your height. A tall person with a short shovel is a backache waiting to happen, and if you are short, you simply cannot get proper leverage with a shovel that has too long a handle
• Make sure the diameter of the shovel handle is comfortable to hold. The diameter should fit your hand grip—too small or too big will cause excess tension and strain in the hands and forearms.  Remember to wear proper gloves that keep your hands warm and provide good grip on the handle
• Appropriate shovel blade size. The larger the shovel, the heavier it is when you fill it. Aim for a size you can comfortably handle without straining to pick it up. You will move snow more quickly if you can just scoop and toss, rather than maneuvering to pick up a shovelful that is too heavy

So, what’s so great about my straight handled snow shovel—well it’s made up of plastic and metal, the scoop is what I’d call average size so I can’t over fill it, the length causes me to have a little lumbar flexion but not too much and diameter fits my hands—in other words it’s perfect for me.  However, I wouldn’t say this shovel is perfect for my husband—because he’s taller, stronger and has bigger hands that I.   And that is what ergonomics is all about—fitting the tool, in this case the snow shovel, to the person.  If your body or back is bothering you while shoveling, take a close look at your shovel—does it fit.  It not, use the above tips and go buy yourself another one.  You’ll be glad you did.