Is snow shoveling safe for people with heart disease?
Ask the doctor
My kids used to shovel the snow from our driveway each winter, but now that they've left for college, I've taken over this task. Is this safe, given that I had a mild heart attack a few years ago?There are two reasons why this particular activity is hazardous: intense exercise and cold temperatures. First, shoveling snow — especially wet, heavy snow — puts a much higher workload on the heart than what people normally do for their exercise. To estimate the intensity of an activity or exercise, experts often use metabolic equivalents (METs). One MET is how much energy you use just sitting still. Moderate-intensity exercises are 3 to 5.9 METs, while vigorous-intensity exercises — like shoveling snow — are 6 METs and higher.
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About the Author
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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