Why shoveling snow is tough on your heart
Snow may be a beautiful sight to some, but its removal from driveways and sidewalks can have some not so pretty health consequences.
The American Heart Association (AHA) found that certain activities, specifically shoveling snow, can put extra stress on your heart, increasing your risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest. Their studies found that shoveling snow can be more stressful on your heart than taking a treadmill stress test, and the impact was hardest on those who were the least fit.
“Shoveling snow isn’t as harmless as it looks,” says Dr. Melissa Sifuentes, an internal medicine physician at Advocate Health Care. “The heavier the snow, the more stress it puts on your heart, raising both your heart rate and blood pressure.”
Why shoveling snow affects the heart
The AHA notes five specific ways shoveling snow can affect your health:
- The action uses isometric, or static, exertion that involves contracting your muscles without movement from the surrounding joints.
- It’s mostly an arm workout, which is more taxing on the heart than leg workouts.
- You can unconsciously hold your breath when lifting heavy things like snow, which increases your heart rate and blood pressure.
- Shoveling snow requires standing still, which results in blood pooling in your legs and oxygenated blood not going back to your heart.
- Breathing cold air constricts blood vessels, which raises your blood pressure and constricts your coronary arteries.
How to shovel safely
If you have to shovel snow, consider following these safety tips from The National Safety Council:
- Avoid shoveling while smoking
- Make sure to warm-up your body with stretching before you start shoveling
- Don’t shovel super heavy snow and instead stick to the light stuff
- Try partially filling your shovel instead of overloading it
- Lift with your legs, not your back
- Don’t overexert yourself. Stop immediately if you are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack
“It’s critical to recognize heart attack symptoms early,” says Dr. Sifuentes. “If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath or other warning signs, stop shoveling and seek emergency medical help. And if you have a history of heart disease, talk to your health care provider before picking up a shovel.”
Want to learn your risk for heart disease? Take a free online quiz.
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About the Author
health enews contributor, is on the digital content team at Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. They received their bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and French from Ohio Wesleyan University. Outside of work, they are a writer and comedian and can be found in the mountains during their free time.
