As residents across the region begin to recover from the blizzard, health experts advise caution when clearing snow.
Snowfall has ranged from 1 to 2 feet across Connecticut and Long Island. Dr. Michael Miranda is an Orthopedic Surgeon and Physician-in-Chief at The Bone and Joint Institute at Hartford Healthcare. Miranda said people should dress warmly when going outside and be careful when shoveling snow to avoid injuries.
“Shoveling snow and moving snow is strenuous exercise. So you need to warm up so that it's not a stress on your system. Not only your bones, and your joints and your muscles, but also your heart,” Miranda said
Health officials also warn residents to pace themselves and not to shovel if they have heart conditions or high blood pressure. According to the American Heart Association, snow shoveling may place extra stress on the heart. One study showed that a heavy snowfall, about 7-8 inches, has been associated with 16% higher odds of men being admitted to the hospital with a heart attack.
Miranda said people should look out for patches of ice to avoid falls and wear appropriate footwear. He warned that anyone planning to shovel snow should be careful to avoid lower back injuries. Miranda said people who lift and twist their bodies when shoveling risk slipping a disk.
“With regard to snow, certainly moving the snow, you don't want to lift, you want to push it. When you push it, you want to make sure that you're using your legs. You don't want to lift through your back,” Miranda said.
Anyone over the age of 65, with a history of cardiac disease or hypertension, should avoid shoveling altogether. Miranda said it's important to be vigilant of your own limitations. He said the best time to shovel or clear snow would be in the afternoon, when it’s least stressful to the heart.
The National Weather Service reported that winds from across the region have ranged from 50 mph to 84 mph. With this particular storm, Miranda said the wind chill will make it feel significantly colder. He said it's important to dress in layers to keep warm and cover up as much as possible. The extreme temperatures could put people at risk of frostbite or hypothermia.
“Any exposed tissue like your nose, cheeks, fingers, they're at risk, and it happens very quickly,” Miranda said. “So, it's important that you cover all of your skin.”
