02/20/2019
Important advice from Matt at Vitality Fitness and Wellness if you’re thinking about tackling the snow yourself!
Weekly Weigh-in from our trainer Matt Miller:
Safety in the snow:
When I was a senior in undergrad, I completed a second semester internship at a Cardiac Rehabilitation facility. On my first day of the internship, I remember being overwhelmed with the volume of patients. My clinical instructor told me that this volume was typical for mid-January. I still remember my astonishment as he explained that the unsuspecting main culprit for the rise in cardiac events was shoveling snow.
Now, the same day that I was starting this internship, my father was going into his third week of treatment for heart failure at the very same facility. I looked over at him in that moment, warming up on the exercise bike, and I thought back to a month or two prior. We had been outside shoveling from the first snow of the season.
I recall he had begun sweating profusely and eventually asked to go inside for a rest halfway through. This was incredibly unusual for his typical stubborn state. I finished the driveway and by the time I got inside, he was already fast asleep on the couch and continued to nap for the next SIX hours.
My father did not have a heart attack that day, but I am sure he was much closer than we could have realized at the time. I was brought back to the current moment as a tear came to my eye, still looking at him riding the bike.
One single tear, as I realized that I would be stuck shoveling the stupid driveway ALL BY MYSELF FROM NOW ON!! Because honestly…that’s the perfect excuse.
In all seriousness, if you have never heard about the proper precautions regarding snow shoveling—please take a moment to read the short article linked below.
It contains a list of tips and things to avoid. Here are just a few:
Be sure to properly warm-up before shoveling for your joints, muscles, and your cardiovascular system!
Take breaks as needed! Don't be a hero and complete the whole thing at once!
Lift with your legs and push the snow as much as possible.
If your cardiologist or physician has told you to avoid moderate to vigorous exercise, that means that you need to shell out the $20 for little Timmy down the street to take care of the walkway or contact our friends at ShovelBuddy! Even if you do not have any cardiac conditions, be aware of any orthopedic issues that may be exacerbated by shoveling snow.
Please share with any friends or family that may need this kind reminder! And stay safe and warm out there today!
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/protect-your-heart-when-shoveling-snow-201101151153
