Long Island Cardiologist Offers Tips For Shoveling Snow

PORT JEFFERSON, NY — Shoveling can not only cause minor health woes like sore muscles, but also major cardiac issues and sometimes lead to heart attack, so to minimize health risks Catholic Health Physician Partners cardiologist Dr. Chong Park suggests doing a 10-minute warm-up.

“Light exercise and stretching allow your muscles and joints to loosen,” he said. “Also, avoid eating a heavy meal and consuming alcohol prior to clearing snow.”

Anyone experiencing symptoms like chest pain, chest heaviness, palpitations, or shortness of breath as they shovel, should "stop immediately and seek medical attention," Park added.

Here's some more tips from Dr. Chong's blog:

• Dress properly: You should wear several loose layers of clothing, including a water-resistant coat and boots, along with a knit hat, scarf, and gloves, according to Park. It’s important to keep your gloves as dry as possible while shoveling because wet gloves won’t keep your hands warm enough, the doctor advised.
• Set your pace: Injuries can occur when you shovel too fast, so Park advised going slow and doing it step-by-step. It's better to push snow along the ground as much as possible, and use a smaller snow shovel to avoid lifting a too-heavy load, Park said, adding that residents should take frequent breaks, and return inside to warm up and drink plenty of water. Another important point is that it's better to clear snow as quickly as possible before it begins to melt and gets too heavy to lift, according to Park.
• Good form: It’s important to use your legs when lifting snow because bending at the waist can lead to an injury, Park said, adding that it's best to keep your back straight and squat with your knees wide and avoid tossing snow. It's better to walk with the snow to where you want to dump it, Park advised.
• Avoid falls: Residents should wear boots with slip-resistant soles and once snow is cleared, they should throw down salt or sand to eliminate any remaining ice or snow to enhance traction, Park advised.

Additional health and wellness tips can be found by visiting www.chsli.org/health-wellness.