Health
Snow shoveling safety tips to prevent injury and heart attacks: 'Very strenuous activity'
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.
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Stat of the week
More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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