The Surprising Age When Shoveling Snow Turns Risky for Your Heart
AOL.com • • general
Key Points:
- A Canadian study over two decades found a 16% increase in sudden heart attacks and a 34% rise in deaths among middle-aged men during heavy snowstorms, linked to snow shoveling.
- Shoveling snow is particularly dangerous due to the heavy weight of wet snow, cold-induced blood vessel constriction, and the static, upper-body exertion that raises heart rate and blood pressure significantly.
- Men aged 45 and older, especially those with known or hidden heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or sedentary lifestyles, face the highest risk when shoveling snow.
- Safer alternatives include hiring help, pushing snow rather than lifting it, dressing warmly, taking breaks, using electric snow blowers, and stopping immediately
