Cardiac-related deaths caused by shoveling snow grab the headlines (understandably so), but between 1990 and 2006, there were “only” 1,647 incidents all told, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. By comparison some 11,500 injuries were reported on average each winter, for a grand total of some 195,000 injuries treated in the emergency room during that period.
The most common nonfatal injuries are strains to the lower back (soft-tissue injuries) caused by trying to heave too heavy a shovelful out of the way or just by working bent over a shovel for too long. Slips and falls rack up the strains and sprains, and being hit by a snow shovel accounts for about 15% of the injuries.
But what makes shoveling snow a lethal endeavor?
Barry Franklin, director of Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan, warns that shoveling snow creates a “perfect storm” for cardiac arrest and death. Underlying heart disease is a major factor in potentially getting injured or even dying while shoveling snow.
“There’s good evidence that if you’re over the age of 45 or 50, in the United States, if you grew up on Ben and Jerry’s, and KFC Chicken, and so on and so forth — there’s a greater than 50% likelihood you have underlying heart disease,” Franklin said.
“If they’re habitually sedentary, if they do nothing all year round and then decide when they get a big snowfall, ‘I’m gonna go out and clear my driveway,’ those are the people that get in trouble,” Franklin said.
There are key components to that perfect storm:
- Shoveling snow involves isometric or static exertion, which means that when someone is bending over and trying to lift heavy loads of snow, that causes a big increase in their heart rate and blood pressure.
- Shoveling snow also involves arm work, which is more demanding on the body.
- The third risk factor is the Valsalva maneuver. When someone is straining while shoveling snow, they may hold their breath while lifting the heavy load, which causes additional increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
- The final factor is usually breathing in cold air, which constricts the arteries and raises blood pressure.
If you’re a man 50 years old or older, have a history of heart disease, and rarely exercise, the smart move is to hire someone else to shovel or plow.
If you’re going to shovel, man or woman, the state Office of Emergency Management offers a few simple tips to avoid injuries.
- Use a small shovel to decrease physical strain.
- Push the snow whenever possible rather than lifting it.
- Move snow just enough to clear a path. Efforts to throw snow long distances are an extra strain on the body.
- Be sure your shovel is not damaged. A damaged tool will make you work harder.
- Take frequent rest breaks.
