Shoveling Snow May Be Productive, But May Not Be Healthy For All
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Every year I tell my patients "please do not go out in the snow and try to shovel" and needless to say I get quite a bit of push-back. But there are reasons why I says this.
Shoveling, even if you use a snow blower, actually causes an increase in your blood pressure. It increases your heart rate. Combine with that the cold air. That can help cause the constriction of blood vessels. All this does is decrease the oxygen supply to the heart and put extra stress on the heart.
If you are someone who has a history of heart disease, you're a cigarette smoker, you had a prior heart attack, those sorts of things, you have to be very concerned about going out and pushing the snow. Use common sense.
