DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Last winter, I slipped and fell shoveling snow. I have arthritis in one of my shoulders. I'm concerned about having another injury. How common are shoulder injuries during the winter due to shoveling snow and other activities? What advice do you have for how to avoid injuring my shoulder?
ANSWER: Unfortunately, the numbers don't lie. In Mayo Clinic's orthopedics practice, the number of people who need care due to shoulder injuries increases substantially during the winter. While wrist fractures, and other hand and arm injuries, are common, too, during the winter, the burden of work that falls on the shoulder increases the risk of injury.
Shoveling snow is one activity that can really strain the shoulder. Lifting and throwing heavy piles of snow, or accidentally hitting hard ice hidden beneath the snow with a shovel, can result in shoulder damage, especially in someone who already has a delicate shoulder. People who have been diagnosed with shoulder arthritis and those who have even a small rotator cuff tear need to take extra care in the snow and ice. Lifting too much snow with a shovel can aggravate the arthritis or further damage the rotator cuff.
