Is shoveling snow bad for your heart?
While rough winter weather isn’t always in the cards for the Southeast, even occasional winter storms can cover South Carolina or East Tennessee in a blanket of snow or a slick coating of ice. Getting out to clear your driveway or sidewalk can seem like just part of winter storm cleanup, but is shoveling snow bad for your heart?
Cardiologist Dev Vaz, MD, offered advice for shoveling snow without doing harm to your heart and other ways to safely keep things clean when winter weather hits.
Is it true that shoveling snow can cause heart attacks?
“It is very true! Shoveling snow can in fact cause heart attacks,” said Dr. Vaz. “That kind of work is very demanding on the heart, as it’s mostly isometric and requires upper body arm strength.”
Dr. Vaz added that straining, grunting or bearing down while shoveling in cold air constricts blood vessels, especially the coronary arteries. These factors coming together create the ‘perfect storm,’ so to speak, to lead to dangerous cardiac events.
How can you clear the driveway of snow or ice without risking physical harm?
“Ideally, if you have a history of heart or vascular disease, such as heart attack, stroke, prior bypass surgery or prior angioplasty, avoid this activity entirely and get someone else to do it,” said Dr. Vaz.
Many Americans live fairly sedentary lifestyles and recent numbers showed that 1 in 3 adults is overweight. Between that and the risks added if you have other cardiovascular risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure or more, it may be safest for you to avoid shoveling snow or any strenuous outdoor tasks in winter.
Tips for avoiding common winter injuries when you have to work outdoors
“If you really can’t avoid shovelings now or other outdoor work and you’re worried about potential cardiovascular events or other risk factors, make sure you can take some precautions,” said Dr. Vaz.
He recommended pushing rather than lifting snow, using a snow blower if possible, making sure you’re dressed warmly and keeping your nose and mouth covered to avoid inhaling that cold air.
“Finally, make sure you’re monitoring how you feel while working,” added Dr. Vaz. “Stop if there are any symptoms of breathlessness, chest discomfort, lightheadedness or any other heart attack symptoms. Call 911 if your symptoms do not resolve in 5 to 10 minutes after stopping and resting.”
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