After watching our friends in the Red River Valley and to the south spend day after day sandbagging, folks in north central North Dakota have now been thrust into doing the same thing.

It is hard work...and important to make sure you stay healthy doing it.

Perry Olson has more in this week's Eye on Health.

If you've spent time here working to fill bag after bag with pound after pound of sand...you may be reaching for the asprin soon after. That hard work can lead to some lasting aches and pains...

"I think as you are filling sandbags or doing lots of physical work if you feel muscular pain it is good to take it easy and not push yourself."


Dr. Mattson says especially for those who've seen a few more days than others...not overdoing it is key.

"Most young people I think don't have too much trouble slinging 40 pound sacks of sand but doing repetative work like that it is easy to get strains and sprains and things like that."


If strains and sprains were the only worry...this wouldn't really be a story...but of course it is not there is something else that needs to be said if you are working hard fighting flood water...

"Especially if you know you have any sort of heart problem, you do want to not exert your maximum. Many folks don't realize they have a problem like that so it can be harder to know what type of exercise you should do."


In the Red River Valley, two deaths have been attributed to the flood fight.

"If you have any chest pain or shortness of breath as you exert yourself. Those are syptims that if they don't go away with rest it is time to go to emergency room. Basically chest pain and shortness of breath are the things to think about."


Dr. Mattson says if those problems persist for a even a few minutes after resting get checked out right away. With your Eye on Health, Perry Olson, KX News. ROLL COMMERCIALS AFTER TRINITY TAG watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list