Snow is undoubtedly pretty to look at, but it comes and goes, leaving many of those who shovel it with back pain.

As winter's heart beats strong, area chiropractors are busy treating people who may have overextended themselves.A Jim Thorpe chiropractor is extending his office hours on Wednesday night to deal with the problem.Dr. Patrick Holland of LiveWell Empowerment made a Facebook post Monday announcing his office was closed due to the weather, but would stay open until 7 p.m. Wednesday for "the impending epidemic of snow shoveling back.""We definitely have an influx of cases after a heavy snow," Holland said. "The two most common situations are when someone bends forward, it is really hard on their lower back muscles, or when they twist to throw the snow, it can cause stress on the sides and even twist the spine."The same increase in patients can be said for Dr. Jason M. Skrimcovsky of Carbon Chiropractic, 811 School St. in Jim Thorpe."People who have pain normally think they'll get better, and then when it doesn't within a day or two, up to a week after the storm, they'll start calling the office," Skrimcovsky said. "Depending on how they are presenting, we can do an adjustment, some stretching or muscle stimulation. In the more severe cases we'll take X-rays to see what is going on and they may need other coordinated care."Too often, snow shoveling or even plowing becomes a race to see how fast it can be completed."I'm the same way," said Dr. John DeMatte, of Dematte Chiropractic, 1155 Interchange Road in Lehighton. "I want to get it done quick and I know I don't do it right. A couple important things to remember are to use more of your legs, especially with heavy snow. Also, it's not a race. Take breaks."Every case is different, Holland noted, but one solution is to use electrical stimulation on the affected area to reduce inflammation."If it gets real bad, I'll actually take an X-ray to see if the spine was twisted," he said."Then I'll use corrective chiropractic techniques, and with a little rehabilitation, the person should be ready to go."Recovery can last from one day to a week, according to Holland.Why injuries occur comes down to physics, Skrimcovsky said."When you're holding a shovel and you put a lot of weight on the end of the shoulder, you put an extra load on your spine," he said. "The spine is not equipped to deal with that. All of that twisting, turning and throwing snow adds extra stress as well."What a shoveler does after he is finished is also key."If you go sit in the recliner, things are going to tighten up," DeMatte said. "When you get done, put some ice or heat on it and do some stretching."DeMatte recommended a website,

www.neckandbackexercises.com.Holland's office is at 30 River St. in Jim Thorpe, and with snow a common sight in the area, it probably won't be the last time he works late."We definitely plan on staying open later again in the future for this type of situation," he said.According to the National Weather Service, as of 7 a.m. Monday Lehighton saw almost 6 inches of snow from the most recent storm. Other areas saw additional amounts, including over 7 inches in Albrightsville and Gilbert.The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reported that in 2013, 28,000 people were treated in emergency rooms for shoveling-related injuries, and back pain was the lead complaint.