With winter weather just about in full swing, as some areas of the United States are covered with blankets of snow, it might be time to consider this season’s shoveling plans.
The American Heart Association has discovered that shoveling snow can place extra stress on a person’s heart no matter how old they may be, especially if they do not regularly exercise.
In a media release published by the AHA, Barry Franklin, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Corewell Health East, spoke in depth about the type of stress shoveling can place on a person’s heart, estimating that hundreds of people die every year either during or after shoveling snow.
“Shoveling a little snow off your sidewalk may not seem like hard work. However, the strain of heavy snow shoveling may be as or even more demanding on the heart than taking a treadmill stress test, according to research we’ve conducted,” Franklin said.
“For example, after only two minutes of snow shoveling, study participants’ heart rates exceeded 85 percent of maximal heart rate, which is a level more commonly expected during intense aerobic exercise testing. The impact is hardest on those people who are least fit.”
The expert explained the main ways shoveling can affect a person’s heart health, noting that it tenses a person’s muscles without moving the surrounding joints and is more taxing on the body compared to leg work. He also explained that blood pools in the lower half of the body instead of recirculating through the heart since shoveling involves mostly standing still.
Franklin also mentioned that when lifting heavy piles of snow, a person subconsciously holds their breath, which raises their heart rate and blood pressure. The last way shoveling affects a person’s heart health is simply being exposed to the cold air for a long period of time, which also increases a person’s blood pressure through the constricting of blood vessels.
These risks are specifically increased for people who may have preexisting heart risks such as obesity, being a former smoker, or having diabetes.
“We often see events in people who are usually sedentary, they work at a computer all day or get little or no exercise,” Franklin added. “Then once or twice a year they go out and try to shovel the driveway after a heavy snowfall, and that unexpected exertion can unfortunately lead to tragedy.”
For those who may be shoveling their driveways this season, Franklin suggests starting off gradually and keeping your mouth and nose covered. Instead of lifting and throwing the snow, it is recommended to push or sweep the snow, and if possible, invest in an automated snowblower.
