Shoveling Snow Poses Hidden Heart Dangers

You made it through the snowfall, and now you have a lot of digging out to do. But if you don't do it right, shoveling snow can be dangerous.

Shoveling snow is exhausting, and it can also bring a flurry of pain, especially to your back. But as two Massachusetts families realized this week, it can also prompt heart attacks.

Jay Thomas had his Needham, Mass., driveway cleared after the weekend storm until a plow drove by, filling in the space with snow again, reported WCVB-TV in Boston.

"Somebody comes in and plows me out, and my son-in-law came over and did all the walks and stuff, and then the plow comes by and fills it up again," he said.

Thomas and his neighbors are used to it, and, for the most part, unconcerned.

"Maybe tomorrow I'll worry about my back. My heart's OK, but my back's a little touchy," said Fred Tolland, of Needham.

You may have shoveled hundreds of times and think you're in perfect health. That's what a 69-year-old Watertown, Mass., man with no history of heart problems thought. He collapsed from a heart attack Sunday night and died after shoveling snow.

Boston Globe columnist David Nyhan, 64, suffered a heart attack and died Sunday, too. He had no known heart problems either.

Doctors say people often push too hard.

"You can get your heart rate and blood pressure up higher than in severe aerobic exercise. So for somebody to come from a couch to that kind of stress on the heart is really taking a risk, even if they don't have a history of heart problems or any symptoms," said Dr. Tim Johnson, of WCVB.

But there are ways to reduce the heart attack risk.

"You want to take a wider grip on the shovel itself. Wide stance with your legs. Shovel in. And optimally, you want to be throwing it right in front of you. The worst thing you can be doing is picking it up and throwing it sideways," said chiropractor Chad Messina.

It's also important to hydrate, dress warmly, and take frequent breaks.

"I do it about 30 minutes and then I quit," said Tolland.

But if you're over 40 with a history of heart disease, hire someone else to get the job done.

And if, while shoveling, you experience any shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain, stop shoveling immediately and contact your doctor. If you do have chest pain, go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

Experts also suggest you set aside those wide scoop shovels because they allow you to move too much snow at once, which can be heavier and hard on the body.

Dr. Paul Marchetto, the director of sports medicine at Hahnemann University Hospital and the official doctor to the Philadelphia Eagles, offers these tips:

Find a shovel that's long enough so you're not bending over too far. Often you will see people bending way over and holding the shovel way down at the base.

Bend at your knees and lift more with your legs and arms.

If you can, push the snow instead of lifting it.

Pace yourself. Just do a little bit at a time.

If you plan to shovel in the morning, do some stretching before you go outside to limber up your back.

If you do hurt your back, stop what you're doing and lie down. Use a heating pad and take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine such as Aleve or Motrin, reported WCAU-TV in Philadelphia.

Marchetto also recommended sleeping on your back with a pillow under your legs. If the pain lasts for more than two days, or if you feel pain radiating down your leg, see a doctor.