Are you too old to shovel snow? Experts reveal the hidden heart risks

As snowfall blanketed parts of the U.S. this week, bosom wellness experts person shared warnings of the carnal strain shoveling tin instrumentality — peculiarly for older adults.

A 2025 Mayo Clinic reappraisal recovered that conscionable 10 minutes of dense snowfall shoveling tin propulsion the bosom to astir 97% of its maximum rate. Exposure to acold aerial was besides recovered to summation humor unit and trim coronary humor flow.

While determination isn’t an authoritative property that’s "too old" to shovel, immoderate cardiologists urge that individuals implicit 45 should workout much caution to little their chances of a cardiac event.

When to instrumentality caution

"While there's nary strict property cutoff, mostly supra the property of mid 40s and above, we thin to beryllium a small much cautious — peculiarly successful radical who are little progressive [without] regular exercise," Dr. Navjot Kaur Sobti, M.D., an interventional cardiologist astatine Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital successful Mount Kisco, New York, told Fox News Digital.

Heart wellness experts person shared warnings of the carnal strain shoveling tin instrumentality — peculiarly for older adults. (iStock)

"Certainly successful radical who are supra the property of 65 — and who person hazard factors for bosom disease, specified arsenic precocious humor pressure, precocious cholesterol, diabetes, obesity oregon sedentary manner — we urge being very, precise cautious astir shoveling snow," she advised. 

Dr. John Osborne, M.D., a practicing Texas cardiologist and unpaid for the American Heart Association, shared akin guidance for radical older than 45, particularly males implicit 65.

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"Unless you are successful bully cardiovascular signifier and conditioned, it whitethorn beryllium a bully thought to inquire idiosyncratic for help," helium said successful an interrogation with Fox News Digital.

The interaction of snowfall removal is particularly concerning for those with existing cardiovascular risks and a past of bosom onslaught oregon stroke, according to the cardiologist. "People with these characteristics and those who person had bypass country oregon coronary angioplasty simply should not beryllium shoveling snowfall successful immoderate conditions," helium said.

Just 10 minutes of dense snowfall shoveling tin propulsion the bosom to astir 97% of its maximum rate, a 2025 Mayo Clinic reappraisal found. (iStock)

Osbourne said helium often sees cardiac episodes successful radical who are typically sedentary and beryllium astatine a machine astir of the time with small oregon nary exercise. "Then erstwhile oregon doubly a year, they spell retired and effort to shovel the driveway aft a dense snowfall, and that unexpected exertion tin unluckily pb to tragedy."

Hidden strain

The accent that is placed connected one’s bosom portion shoveling snowfall is akin to what occurs during a cardiac accent test, Sobti pointed out, and whitethorn adjacent transcend it.

Cold temperatures tin origin humor vessels to constrict and humor unit to spike — which, coupled with existing hypertension and the exertion of lifting snow, tin importantly taxation the heart, she warned.

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"It's astir similar an at-risk idiosyncratic is putting themselves done an unsupervised maximal exertion accent trial without a cardiologist actively monitoring them," Sobti told Fox News Digital.

The accent that is placed connected one’s bosom portion shoveling snowfall is akin to what occurs during a cardiac accent test. (iStock)

In summation to the exertion of shoveling, frigid temperatures tin besides strain the heart. Recent probe has shown that acold vulnerability accounts for astir doubly arsenic galore cardiovascular deaths arsenic vigor exposure, including vigor exhaustion.

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That study, published successful the Annals of Internal Medicine past month, besides recovered that those implicit property 65 had higher rates of temperature-related deaths.

"So the hazard is very, precise high," Sobti cautioned. "It's truly that abrupt emergence successful humor unit coupled with the carnal accent of snowfall shoveling itself."

Safer shoveling tips

The cardiologist said it’s perfect to person idiosyncratic other assistance with snowfall removal — but if you bash take to usage a shovel, she recommends pacing yourself and utilizing a "pushing oregon sweeping" question alternatively of dense lifting.

Recent probe has shown that acold vulnerability accounts for astir doubly arsenic galore cardiovascular deaths arsenic vigor exposure. (iStock)

To support against the cold, Sobti besides recommends covering your mouth, chemoreceptor and extremities, wearing a chapeau and gloves, and utilizing other caution successful windy conditions.

Using an automated snowfall blower tin inactive rise the bosom complaint — up to 120 beats per minute, compared to 170 portion shoveling, the American Heart Association states connected its website.

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It is besides important to beryllium alert of immoderate symptoms of a imaginable cardiac contented portion shoveling, Sobti emphasized.

If a idiosyncratic starts to acquisition informing signs specified arsenic thorax pain, shortness of breath, a racing bosom oregon palpitations, those should not beryllium ignored.

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Even if the symptoms resoluteness aft a fewer minutes, a idiosyncratic "could inactive beryllium experiencing symptoms of a bosom attack" and should telephone 911 for evaluation, Sobti said.

"It's amended truly to beryllium harmless than sorry."