News Release

FORT WAYNE – Whether you are out shoveling snow or exposed to cold temperatures, listen to your heart, as winter weather can be a source of major stress on your cardiovascular system.

Dr. Mark O’Shaughnessy, Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology.

With up to a foot of snow forecast this weekend in some parts of northeast Indiana, Dr. Mark O’Shaughnessy, Parkview Physicians Group – Cardiology, wants to remind you to take it slow, listen to what your body is telling you and take breaks as needed when you’re fighting back against Old Man Winter.

O’Shaughnessy said, “Shoveling snow is a vigorous exertion and way more than walking or regular activities during the daytime. It increases your risk of having a coronary incident, and if you have unknown coronary disease and you go out and stress yourself, it can create a serious problem.”

Shoveling snow is much harder on your body than most people probably think, because snow can be deceptively heavy. The average snow shovel can hold around one cubic foot of snow per scoop, and snow can weigh as little as one pound per cubic foot for light, fluffy snow to around 20 pounds per square foot for heavy, wet snow.

Since clearing your driveway will likely take multiple scoops, lifting snow can be even more strenuous than hitting the weight machines at the gym.

According to the National Weather Service, Fort Wayne receives an average of 34 inches of snow each year, with January being the heaviest month. Areas to the north, like LaGrange County, may receive closer to 40 inches – including some heavy lake effect snow – while more southerly communities like Logansport only see about 20 inches per year.

If you are not a person who regularly exercises or lifts weights, the sudden overload of work on your body from shoveling can push your cardiovascular system to its limits.

O’Shaughnessy said, “If you take a couch potato and send them into the gym and do a full-strength workout, that’s a stress on the heart.”

The physical exertion of shoveling snow can be strenuous enough, but cold temperatures are also a stress factor on your cardiovascular system.

“Your heart has to work harder to pump the blood to keep you warm,” O’Shaughnessy said. “In cold, our blood vessels will constrict, most notably in a person’s hands and feet. That cold causes vasoconstriction, which causes constriction in the coronary arteries too.”

O’Shaughnessy said, “When your blood vessels narrow and your heart must push harder to pump through narrower channels, that’s going to cause an increase in your blood pressure. And if you’re someone who already has blockages from high cholesterol or other coronary issues, it’s more likely that something will rupture and cause a heart attack.”

So, what should you look out for when you’re out shoveling?

“Any chest discomfort, chest pain — it’s a misnomer, it’s not typically pain but more of a pressure or aching sensation in the chest — any symptom from the waist-up that’s persistent, including shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness or passing out,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Cardiac systems can sometimes be hard to distinguish from more common issues like indigestion or fatigue from exertion. If you’re feeling off, go inside and take a break and warm up. If the symptoms go away, take it easy and make a note to mention it to your doctor.

However, if symptoms persist, you need immediate medical attention.

“If they go away but you go back out and experience it again, then please seek emergency help,” O’Shaughnessy said.