Snow shoveling — a laborious chore has become a routine activity for millions of Americans after a deadly winter storm covered swaths of the country with fresh snow over the last couple of days.
The chilling effects of the blizzard were felt by residents across Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, who have dealt with travel delays, power outages, widespread closures and bitter cold temperatures since the storm rolled through.
Though the storm largely subsided by Tuesday morning, another weather system forecast is expected to spread a wintry mess from Texas to the East Coast later this week, which means people likely won’t be able to put down the shovels anytime soon.
The household chore, while mundane to some, can actually be quite dangerous and even fatal to people with underlying health conditions. Nearly 200,000 adults were treated in emergency rooms for snow-shovel-related accidents from 1990 to 2006, and more than 1,600 deaths were reported in that time frame, according to the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Snow shoveling is a vigorous activity, one that puts a lot of demand on the body’s heart and musculoskeletal system, Bethany Barone Gibbs, an epidemiology and biostatistics professor at West Virginia University and American Heart Association volunteer said in a December interview with USA TODAY.
People with heart conditions are more likely to have a cardiac event when shoveling snow, and people with musculoskeletal conditions or impaired balance are at higher risk for fall injuries, Gibbs said, and should get help from someone in good health to complete the chore.
But if snow shoveling must be done, shovel a little at a time, take breaks and dress appropriately.
Here’s what to know, including how old is too old to be shoveling snow and common symptoms of a cardiac event.
Shoveling snow ‘stresses’ heart in five unique ways, AHA says
There are five main stressors on the heart when shoveling snow, Dr. Barry Franklin, retired American Heart Association expert, said in a news release:
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Static exertion that involves the contraction of muscles without movement in the surrounding joints
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Arm work, which is more taxing on the heart than leg work
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Strained body while lifting heavy loads, during which most people unknowingly hold their breath, which increases heart rate and blood pressure
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Legs not in motion or not in frequent motion can lead to pooling of blood in the lower part of the body, which means it is not getting back to the heart for oxygenation
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Cold air causes constriction of blood vessels, which disproportionately raises blood pressure and constricts coronary arteries
Adults 45 and older should exercise caution, experts say
There is no specific age cutoff when it comes to shoveling snow, but people with any heart or musculoskeletal conditions should be especially careful.
“Someone very young with a heart or musculoskeletal condition should not shovel snow, while someone who is older but very fit and without heart of musculoskeletal conditions might be fine to shovel snow,” Gibbs said.
Adults over the age of 45 “should be cautious” as they stand to be part of an age group that is more at risk of injury, or fatality when snow shoveling, an American Heart Association spokesperson said.
The association also advises people with known or suspected heart disease, high blood pressure or high cholesterol to take extra care when shoveling snow. The same goes for people who regularly smoke, are very inactive, are obese or are habitually sedentary should be careful, too.
How to reduce the possibility of injury when shoveling snow
The first, and perhaps most obvious, answer is asking someone else to do it, but if that cannot be done, there are precautions that can be followed.
In the news release, Franklin advised people to push or sweep snow rather than lifting and throwing it because that involves less exertion. And if the wind is blowing, be extra-careful. Wind makes temperatures feel colder than it actually is and has effects on the body.
Snowblowers are also safer and quicker to use than shovels. Research shows using a snowblower raises the heat rate to about 120 beats a minute compared with a heart rate of about 170 beats a minute when shoveling, according to the American Heart Association.
What are common symptoms of a cardiac event?
According to the American Heart Association, common symptoms of a cardiac event, like a heart attack, include chest pain or pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations and irregular heart rhythms.
If you experience any of these symptoms while doing yard work this winter, stop. If the symptoms don’t stop immediately, call 911.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, Christopher Cann, John Bacon, Minnah Arshad and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How old is too old to be shoveling snow? Here’s what experts say