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Ah, snow! If you're a Montrealer you either hate it or embrace it, but one thing's for sure: you have to deal with it. Unless you're Pitbull or Oprah, you've likely had to shovel snow, whether the process involved clearing your entire home's walkway or simply digging your car free with a tri-fold trunk shovel. No matter the severity or frequency of your shoveling, proper form is imperative to avoiding injury. According to WebMD, "The task sends on average more than 11,000 adults and children to the hospital every year", which gives reason for the following illustrative how-to guide.

While snow and ice can create hazardous situations for everyone, seniors and people with disabilities are more susceptible to injury when performing the task. However, shovelling is not the only means of clearing a walkway; due to their ice melting properties, salting and sanding your property can also help reduce the potential for slip-and-fall incidents, which can cause serious injuries.

Safe snow shoveling requires not only the right tools, but equally proper preparation, good technique and knowledge. The following is a guide illustrating how to safely shovel snow to avoid injury.