The Best Snow Shovel Designs

• Choosing a snow shovel with a user-friendly design makes the chore safer. Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

  Shoveling snow can be a fun chore if you have the right shovel. While many consumers have transferred to snow blowers or electric shovels, you can still shovel a driveway loaded with snow with the best snow shovel design available. Ergonomic designed shovels protect the lower back, spine and neck strain associated with shoveling. To clear away a freshly fallen ton of snow, selecting the best shovel design for your comfort will help keep your body safe. If you have any heart issues or are concerned about your ability to shovel so much snow, regard the Heart Attack Risk Assessment self test before getting stepping out in the flakes.

Curved Scoop & Adjustable Handle

• An ergonomic snow shovel with a curved scoop and adjustable shaft length minimize painful bending and straining. The best snow shovels have a deeply curved, lightweight shovel scoop. These deep scoops holds more weight and eases the weight you would hold on a flat shovel. Combined with a curved handle or an adjustable handle, an ergonomic shovel model like that keeps your back straighter and reduces the strain on your spine.

Plastic Blade

• Search for a shovel with a small, lightweight, plastic blade. The plastic blade at the end of the shovel helps reduce the amount of weight you move around. The best shovels have a plastic blade protected by a steel wear strip that helps with ice removal.

Long Shaft

• Be sure the shaft is long enough. A long shaft, or handle, ensure that your back stays straight when shoveling. Shafts that have a crimp in the middle or a gradually curve help relieve your back from bearing all the weight of the snow.

Push or Lift Option

• Some shovel models offer the option pushing or lifting the snow to remove it. Selecting a shovel that gives you this option is a great idea. This way, you can choose whether to slide layers of snow to the end of the driveway or sidewalk or to scoop snow and plop it on to a snow pile. Applying a small amount of silicone-lubricant spray to the shovel blade keeps snow from sticking to it which will, again, keep weight off your neck, back and spine.

Wheel Shovels

• As of 2010, a new shovel type is a combination between a wheel barrow and a shovel. This shovel has a strong grip and handle, a large wheel in the middle, and a deep scoop shovel head. You can guide the shovel along a driveway or sidewalk without straining your back at all--the wheel bears the weight. This shovel is the best option for those with existing back problems who want to avoid any strain to the back.