CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) – The first snowstorm of 2014 promises to pack a punch! Several inches are expected, but be careful, because all that beautiful white snow can be deadly. Heart attacks, back strain and muscle soreness are just a few of the problems attributed to shoveling snow.
If you shovel for 30 minutes, you’ll clear away 200 calories along with the snow. Snow shoveling is very demanding on the body. Typical winter conditions (a little more than an inch of snowfall and temperatures that dip below 20 degrees) cause death rates from heart attacks to triple among men 35 to 49 years old. Shoveling snow can be very dangerous if the right precautions aren’t taken.
What makes shoveling more dangerous than other average tasks around the house is the temperature. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase during strenuous activity. That, coupled with the body’s natural reflex to constrict arteries and blood vessels when exposed to the cold, is a recipe for a heart attack.
Snow shoveling can certainly be good exercise. But there are certain higher risk groups who should think twice before picking up that shovel.
For tips and suggestions on how to properly shovel, click here: 19ActionNews.com
Article and Picture Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News
How to Shovel Snow Without Getting Hurt was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
