PerthDist wrote:
>
> Does anyone have some quick stats on the level of cardio work involved in snow
> shovelling. (ie what could it be compared to)?
Zoe - you might try accessing the following sites for info:
http://www.ntl.sympatico.ca/healthyway/HEALTHYWAY/feature_dec16d.html
OR -
Now here's a novel excuse for getting out of shoveling snow: too much of
it can kill you.
Cardiologists say shoveling large amounts of snow can significantly
boost your heart rate and blood
pressure. That may help explain the rise in heart attacks seen annually
during the winter.
The good news about shoveling snow is that it is a sound aerobic
activity. And doctors at UT
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say regular aerobic exercise is an
important part of a healthy
lifestyle. The problem is, many snow shovelers spend the off-season as
couch potatoes and their
bodies aren't ready for the exertion required to clear the sidewalk or
driveway.
Shoveling snow puts a lot of strain on your body. In fact, researchers
found the exertion rates were
comparable to a treadmill test for heart patients. Heart rates rose to
dangerously high levels after
only two minutes of shoveling. Shoveling also tended to raise blood
pressure higher than treadmill
tests. The snow-shovel shuffle is made even more difficult by the
weather. Working or exercising in
cold weather is harder and breathing cold air can put an extra strain on
your body.
So here's the bottom line: if you are normally inactive or already at
risk for heart attack, shoveling
snow can be dangerous. If you are at risk, try to hire someone to shovel
the snow for you. And
between now and next winter, check with your doctor and get on a program
that gets you back in
shape. After all, don't you really enjoy shoveling all that snow?
HEALTHWATCH is only intended to provide general information and is not
intended to replace the
advice of a medical professional. You should contact your doctor if you
have more questions about
this topic.
HEALTHWATCH is a Public Service of the Office of News and Public
Information of the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. For more
information, call (214)
648-3404.
OR -
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jess Gomez
MOST SNOW-SHOVELING RELATED
INJURIES CAN BE AVOIDED, BACK
SPECIALISTS WARN
Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 9 --- Tis' the season
for mistletoe, egg nog,
and back injuries.
Utah's snow makes the state a winter wonderland and
play paradise for the
season's enthusiasts, but that same snow also
wreaks havoc on residents.
From uneasy driving conditions to snow shoveling,
some Utahns often
wonder if that pretty white stuff is a blessing or
a curse.
Whether snow is good fortune or an affliction,
there are safe ways to deal
with the element, especially when digging out from
under it, according to
back specialists at the Intermountain Spine
Institute (ISI) at Cottonwood
Hospital.
Physicians at the Spine Institute treat dozens of
patients each winter who've
injured their backs while shoveling snow. Most
injuries, they say, can be
avoided with improved body mechanics, some
conditioning, and a good
shovel.
"You wouldn't be good out on a basketball court
without regular practice
and exercise, and the same is true when shoveling
snow. You need to be in
good physical shape in order to go out and perform
on the sidewalk. A
regular exercise program makes that possible," says
Terry C. Sawchuk,
MD.
"Improper body mechanics cause lower back
injuries," says Dr. Sawchuk.
"When shoveling snow it's important that the
individual understands there is
an increased risk of injury by not bending the
knees and by trying to twist
and turn to throw the snow behind your body.
Twisting causes the greatest
risk. The proper way is to bend the knees and push
the snow in front of
you."
In addition, Dr. Sawchuk says you should avoid
bending too far forward at
the waist, and don't lift, throw, or push the snow
relying on your back
muscles. Use the strength in your legs and not your
back.
Most shoveling-related injuries are soft tissue
injuries: sprains or strain of
back ligaments. The way to treat them is to apply
an ice pack to the
affected area for 20 to 30 minutes, take aspirin or
an anti-inflammatory,
and, if necessary, no more than two to three days
bed rest. Back ligament
sprains or strains generally improve within one to
three weeks.
Dr. Sawchuk recommends that you seek medical
attention if you
experience radiating pain down a leg, weakness in
your legs, or bowel or
bladder difficulties. And remember, even if you
have a snowblower and
don't need to shovel, you still need to bend your
knees when pulling the
starter to avoid back injury.
Here is a recap of the back-saving tips from the
Intermountain Spine
Institute, which will help you minimize the risk of
a snow shoveling back
injury:
Maintain a regular exercise program. People
who exercise regularly
will have less chance of injury.
Bend your knees.
Keep your lower back straight and in an
upright position.
Use the strength in your legs and not your
back.
Push the snow rather than lifting it.
Wear footwear/boots with treads that are
designed to keep you
from slipping and falling. (This is a good tip
no matter what the
activity).
Take a break when you're tired. If you keep
shoveling while tired
you'll increase the risk of injury.
An angled snow shovel is better than a
straight shovel because an
angled shovel allows you to use more efficient
body mechanics.
The Intermountain Spine Institute at Cottonwood
Hospital is a facility of
Intermountain Health Care. Specialists at the Spine
Institute employ a
non-operative approach to the diagnosis and
treatment of low back pain
and cervical problems of the spine. The Institute
has a multi-disciplinary
team of conservative care back specialists who
believe the patient is the
most important part of the team because the patient
has the most control
over and responsibility for his or her own
treatment. For more information
call the Spine Institute at 269-BACK (2225).
OR -
Snow Shoveling and Cardiac
Arrests
It's the middle of winter and London's had its biggest snowfall of the
season. Mr. Smith,
armed with his shovel and the desire to get some exercise, goes out to
clear his sidewalk.
About 10-minutes into shovelling he is overcome with crippling chest
pain.
Mr. Smith isn't the only one who's experienced this phenomenon, says
Ross Bishop, Director of
London Health Science Centre's Cardiac Fitness Institute. "It's common
for the number of reports of
heart attacks and angina [chest pain] to go up after a heavy snowfall
because people rush out to
shovel their driveway, unprepared."
Compared to jogging or cross country skiing, there is limited physical
action involved in shovelling
snow. However, the strain of show shovelling puts an increased demand on
a person's heart. "What
happens is that a person's heart rate and blood pressure can rise
rapidly," says Bishop. "When that
happens, the heart needs more oxygen to function, and if a person has
coronary heart disease, then
he or she may experience angina symptoms." Add to that the body's
natural reflex to constrict
arteries and her blood vessels when it's exposed to the cold, and you
have a recipe for heart trouble.
The vast majority of people who go out to shovel their sidewalk will not
have a heart attack, says
Bishop. But people who have already had a heart attack, or who have a
history of heart disease,
angina or high blood pressure may want to use caution and common sense
when approaching the
task.
If you fit into this category and are going to dig in, here are some
guidelines:
Be sure to dress warmly, covering the neck and chest.
Consider cutting the icy cold by breathing through a scarf.
Use a smaller shovel which will cut down on the strain on your
heart.
Take your time.
See your doctor if you start to experience chest discomfort.
OR -
October 2, 1995
Healthy Living: Use your shovel safely to keep winter from
being a health hazard
By Anne Fracassa
Welcome to snow shoveling 101. Since Michigan hasn't seen the stuff in
six months, an easy as
1-2-3 refresher course is in order.
Lesson No. 1: Don't throw out your back.
Lesson No. 2: Don't put too much stress on your heart.
Lesson No. 3: If you don't have to, don't shovel any snow.
"During one snowstorm in January 1992, 22 men middle-aged or older died
of heart attacks while
clearing their driveway or sidewalk," said Dr. Barry Franklin of
Beaumont Hospital. "That's just in
the Detroit area alone."
Last spring, Franklin completed research on the effects shoveling snow.
His findings were
conclusive: Just two minutes of shoveling heavy, wet snow can raise your
heart rate and blood
pressure to dangerous levels and could lead to a heart attack.
"The emphasis here is that snow shoveling itself is not dangerous, it's
the combination of a diseased
or susceptible heart and snow shoveling that's dangerous," he said.
And your heart isn't the only thing at risk. Many perfectly healthy
people risk back injury by
shoveling snow, shoveling snow the wrong way or slipping and falling on
ice or snow, said Dr. Scott
McLeod, partner in Detroit's McLeod Straight Chiropractic Center.
"The best thing is not to bend over to pick up snow," McLeod said. "Bend
from your knees up."
Shoveling
tips
Doctors offer these tips for reducing injury while shoveling snow:
* Wear traction shoes to reduce the chance of slipping and falling.
* Wear a back brace with shoulder harness to help stabilize the support
for your back.
* Bend from the knees, not your waist, when lifting snow. Whenever
possible push or sweep snow,
rather than lifting it.
* If you're pregnant, don't shovel at all. Pregnant women are already
out of balance with their backs.
* Avoid inhaling cold air by wearing a breathing mask or scarf.
* Avoid large meals, alcohol and tobacco before and after shoveling
snow. It puts an added strain
on your heart.
Anne Fracassa is a Metro-Detroit writer.
Copyright 1995, The Detroit News
OR -
Patrick J. Bird, Ph.D., Keeping Fit
Column 529, 1997
Q. My father lives in Brockport, NY. He is 63 years old and insists on
shoveling snow, not
only from the walk in front of his house -- from his entire driveway. He
is a regular walker
and in good condition. But he shovels with a vengeance. He seems to want
to move it all
before it melts. I worry that he is going to have a heart attack. Should
I be concerned?
A. Maybe. People do die of heart attacks after major snowstorms. For
example, one study that
examined the death certificates in Eastern Massachusetts after six
blizzards found heart disease
deaths rose by an average of 22% during a storm week. These deaths are
often attributed to the
cold weather. However, according to a report published last April in The
American Journal of
Cardiology, the primary culprit is snow shoveling.
Snow shoveling is generally classified as moderate exercise, on a par
with walking about 4.5 miles
per hour. But unlike walking, just a few minutes of lifting and tossing
snow can cause dramatic
increases in heart rate and blood pressure -- increases equivalent to
those achieved while running to
exhaustion on a treadmill. Some reasons for this are: 1) Arm exercises
place a greater demand on
the heart than do leg exercises. And exposure to cold air, which causes
surface blood vessels to
constrict, increases this demand. 2) Gripping the shovel triggers
reflexes that increase heart rate and
blood pressure. 3) Many people hold their breath while shoveling,
further increasing heart rate and
blood pressure. 4) Working in the upright, static shoveling position
causes blood to pool in the lower
extremities which decreases the return of blood to the heart.
Snow shoveling is serious exercise. Still, a strong, healthy body can
easily withstand the rigors of
snow shoveling. It’s "the combination of vigorous physical exertion and
a diseased or susceptible
heart, rather than the exertion itself, that constitutes the major
cardiovascular risk of show shoveling,"
says The American Journal of Cardiology article. Therefore, individuals
at risk of heart disease,
particularly smokers and those with high "bad" cholesterol, high blood
pressure, or diabetes must be
very cautious.
Even people who are completely healthy and in excellent physical
condition are injured during the
activity. Back and muscle strain are major concerns. Shoveling snow,
especially wet snow, is
strenuous work -- it should be approached slowly and deliberately. Here
are a few suggestions that
you can pass on to your father:
Warm-up (in the house) before attacking the snow. This can help
prevent or reduce muscle
soreness and damage. Ten minutes is usually enough, although the
time needed to warm-up
the body tends to increase with age. Start with easy running in
place, gradual stretching, and a
few sit-ups and pushups. Follow this with a more specific
"loosening-up." Using the shovel,
gently mimic the shoveling activity. If a part of your body is a
little stiff or sore, work on that
area particularly.
Dress warmly, of course. Also, covering the mouth and nose with a
scarf can help temper the
cold air coming into the body.
Start shoveling slowly. Rest frequently, every two or three
minutes. And breathe -- exhale
when lifting the snow and inhale when returning for another
scoopful.
Drink water during the activity, and have a large glass before
starting and after finishing. Cold
weather is no protection against dehydration.
Finally, don’t feel compelled to complete the entire task in one
session. Remember, different
types of physical activity put different stresses on the body.
Being in excellent condition for
walking, or even weight lifting, does not translate into being well
prepared for the rigors of
shoveling snow.
Hope some of this is useful -
Nancy Dubois
Community Facilitator
Ontario Active Living Community Action Project
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