Be careful when shoveling snow
We got our first real accumulation of snow earlier this week, and the onset of snowstorms means many of us will have to deal with snow removal.
And while shoveling the driveway can be good exercise, for people with underlying heart conditions the sudden exertion can be dangerous.
As we learned in the Wednesday, Dec. 3, edition of the Butler Eagle, shoveling snow can be one of the hardest activities on the human heart, especially for people who don’t exercise regularly, who have undiagnosed heart problems and for people who once smoked.
Cold air constricts blood vessels, magnifying the effect of exertion and potentially causing heart attacks, according to former American Heart Association volunteer Barry Franklin, professor of internal medicine at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Royal Oak, Mich.
“The movements of snow shoveling are very taxing and demanding on your body and can cause significant increases in your heart rate and blood pressure,” Franklin said.
Dr. Drew Oehler, a preventive cardiologist at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, said another risk is stable angina, which is chest pain that’s brought on by exertion and stops when the exertion stops.
That makes it important for people who don’t exercise regularly to pace themselves when shoveling snow and take regular breaks. Ask for help if you need it.
Clearing sidewalks and driveways is important for safety, but heart safety while clearing them is just as important.
— JK
