Health

Snow shoveling safety tips to prevent injury and heart attacks: 'Very strenuous activity'

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2024

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Snow shoveling safety tips to prevent injury and heart attacks: 'Very strenuous activity'

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While snow may be peaceful and pretty, removing it can be risky.

Snow shoveling is one of the most dangerous winter activities, with research showing that it leads to around 11,500 injuries and medical emergencies and 100 deaths each year.

The American Heart Association has identified snow shoveling as an activity that can put extra stress on the heart.

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Beyond cardiac events, other common injuries include broken bones, cuts, bumps and bruises from slipping and falling.

Two doctors shared with Fox News Digital their insights and recommendations about safe snow shoveling.

Snow shoveling is one of the most dangerous winter activities, with research showing that it leads to around 11,500 injuries and medical emergencies and 100 deaths each year. (iStock)

Why is shoveling snow so dangerous?

Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ohio-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide, noted that there is an overall increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality during the winter months.

“This is due to multiple factors including seasonal temperature, level of physical activity, air pollution, infections, stress levels and fluctuations in diet,” he told Fox News Digital.

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Physical inactivity is a major factor, Serwer noted, as during the winter months, people tend to be less active and thus are less prepared for the high physical demands of shoveling.

“It is often underestimated what kind of physical workload is required to shovel a substantial amount of snow,” Serwer said. “Shoveling snow can be a very strenuous activity, placing notable strain on the cardiovascular system.”

Frigid temperatures also increase the risk.

It’s safer to push the snow out of your path instead of lifting a heavy snow shovel over your head, said one doctor. (iStock)

“Cold temperatures can cause peripheral blood vessels to constrict, which raises blood pressure and can put extra strain on the heart,” he said.

It’s also easy to become dehydrated while working in cold climates, as people tend to forget to replace fluids as needed, Serwer noted.

“It is also important to note that orthopedic injuries are very common due to falls from slick conditions,” he said.

Tips to reduce risk while shoveling snow

To ensure adequate protection from the cold, Serwer recommends dressing in layers — including coats, hats, scarves and gloves — to avoid overheating, shedding them as you warm up.

Sarah Lee, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown campus, warned people to watch out for signs of frostbite, particularly in the fingers, toes and nose.

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Some early symptoms of frostbite include severe cold, pain, swelling and discoloration.

“If you experience these symptoms, it is recommended that you go to a warm place immediately,” Lee told Fox News Digital. “Be sure to change into warm and dry clothes once inside.”

It’s also important to stay hydrated and avoid alcohol and tobacco products while working, the doctor said.

When lifting heavy amounts of snow, it’s important to do the heavy lifting with your legs to prevent straining your back. (iStock)

Before getting started, experts recommend warming up with stretches.

“Shoveling snow uses a lot of big muscle groups,” said Lee, who is also an instructor of emergency medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “Stretch before starting to warm up your muscles and joints.”

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When lifting heavy amounts of snow, it’s important to do the heavy lifting with your legs to prevent straining your back, added Lee.

For those who are not typically very active, it’s important to “take extra caution and know your limits,” Lee said.

“Try to avoid overexerting yourself and take plenty of small breaks if you are shoveling a large area,” she advised.

For those who are not typically very active, it’s important to “take extra caution and know your limits,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

To prevent slips and falls, Lee warned to watch out for black ice, which can be hard to detect.

“The colder the weather, the more likely it will be that there will be frozen ice on the ground,” she noted.

Particularly for elderly people, Lee recommends keeping their cell phone in their pocket so they can call for help in the event of an emergency.

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When removing snow, Serwer said it’s safer to push the snow out of your path instead of lifting a heavy snow shovel over your head.

People with certain conditions or risks should consult with a doctor before shoveling, the doctors agreed.

To prevent slips and falls, a doctor warned to watch out for black ice, which can be hard to detect. (Rachel Gibbons/The Daily News-Sun via AP)

“Generally, those who have any mobility-limiting conditions or those with high fall risks — those who are elderly, deconditioned or have a more sedentary lifestyle — should exercise extra caution,” said Lee.

People who have a history of cardiac problems should check with their doctor before any kind of strenuous exercise, she said.

“Patients who take blood-thinning medications should also take special care to avoid falls,” Lee added.

For those who are at a high risk of cardiac events, the experts recommend hiring someone else to complete the task.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Health

Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

Published

1 hour ago

February 28, 2026

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Common nighttime noise exposure may trigger heart problems, study suggests

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Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.

A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.

The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.

Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)

The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.

Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.

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As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.

The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”

Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)

Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”

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“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.

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“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”

This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.

“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)

“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”

The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”

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“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”

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The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.

The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.

Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)

“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”

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The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.

“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”

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“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”

Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)

Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”

“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”

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The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.

“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

Published

13 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and a Faster Metabolism

The Best Time To Drink Coffee for Weight Loss and Fat Burn | Woman’s World

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