How To Survive The Snow Onslaught Without Becoming A Statistic
Shovelling snow is a seasonal chore that most homeowners do after every snowfall of any consequence.
Sometimes we do it as the first thing when we get out of the house in the morning and try to do it as quickly as possible before jumping into our cars and heading off to work.
Or, it may be the first chore that awaits us when we arrive home from work, after sitting at our desks the whole day and then spending an hour at the wheel battling the elements to get home.
Either way, it can be one of the most dangerous activities we ever undertake.
Consider these facts.
To clean an average driveway, we lift a combined weight of 7,000 - 8,000 lbs.
The energy cost of snow shovelling to our bodies is enormous.
Shovelling heavy, wet snow requires energy expenditure equivalent to running nine miles in an hour or playing an entire game of high intensity basketball without time outs.
Do you do these activities on a regular basis? I didn't think so.
In addition, snow shovelling has unique features that add to its demands.
It uses muscles in the arms and back that are not well conditioned in anyone but a dedicated athlete.
Arm muscle exercise is much more demanding than leg muscle exercise.
It raises the heart rate and blood pressure to levels far higher than does leg exercise.
The nature of the work therefore greatly taxes the heart.
Inhaling cold air puts another stress on the heart.
When we step outside into the cold weather, our breathing pathways automatically constrict in response to the cold temperatures.
Our heart has to pump blood faster and harder to keep the body warm.
Our heart rate jumps from the resting rate to the maximum range in a matter of minutes.
No wonder that after snow storms, in addition to people dying of exposure and traffic accidents, a high proportion of the reported deaths is due to heart attacks suffered while shovelling snow.
So what to do at this time of the year to avoid being buried in the white stuff and possibly being fined by the Municipality for not cleaning your sidewalk? Unless a person has received professional assurance that such demanding labour is not a hazard to his or her heart, snow shovelling is something that should be watched rather than engaged in.
Even people who are fit to shovel should do so sensibly.
First thing when you step outside is to start with a warm up, gradually increasing the intensity.
Use a shovel with a small scoop so you are not trying to heave Herculean mounds of snow off the ground.
Take frequent brakes.
Try to push snow, not lift it.
And if all else fails and you can't shovel yourself or pay some one to do it for you, just leave the snow there.
Although it is hard to believe when we are in the grip of winter in January and February, that white stuff will eventually melt.
And that, after all is our ultimate objective - to survive the winter and get to the warm days of Spring and Summer.
Sometimes we do it as the first thing when we get out of the house in the morning and try to do it as quickly as possible before jumping into our cars and heading off to work.
Or, it may be the first chore that awaits us when we arrive home from work, after sitting at our desks the whole day and then spending an hour at the wheel battling the elements to get home.
Either way, it can be one of the most dangerous activities we ever undertake.
Consider these facts.
To clean an average driveway, we lift a combined weight of 7,000 - 8,000 lbs.
The energy cost of snow shovelling to our bodies is enormous.
Shovelling heavy, wet snow requires energy expenditure equivalent to running nine miles in an hour or playing an entire game of high intensity basketball without time outs.
Do you do these activities on a regular basis? I didn't think so.
In addition, snow shovelling has unique features that add to its demands.
It uses muscles in the arms and back that are not well conditioned in anyone but a dedicated athlete.
Arm muscle exercise is much more demanding than leg muscle exercise.
It raises the heart rate and blood pressure to levels far higher than does leg exercise.
The nature of the work therefore greatly taxes the heart.
Inhaling cold air puts another stress on the heart.
When we step outside into the cold weather, our breathing pathways automatically constrict in response to the cold temperatures.
Our heart has to pump blood faster and harder to keep the body warm.
Our heart rate jumps from the resting rate to the maximum range in a matter of minutes.
No wonder that after snow storms, in addition to people dying of exposure and traffic accidents, a high proportion of the reported deaths is due to heart attacks suffered while shovelling snow.
So what to do at this time of the year to avoid being buried in the white stuff and possibly being fined by the Municipality for not cleaning your sidewalk? Unless a person has received professional assurance that such demanding labour is not a hazard to his or her heart, snow shovelling is something that should be watched rather than engaged in.
Even people who are fit to shovel should do so sensibly.
First thing when you step outside is to start with a warm up, gradually increasing the intensity.
Use a shovel with a small scoop so you are not trying to heave Herculean mounds of snow off the ground.
Take frequent brakes.
Try to push snow, not lift it.
And if all else fails and you can't shovel yourself or pay some one to do it for you, just leave the snow there.
Although it is hard to believe when we are in the grip of winter in January and February, that white stuff will eventually melt.
And that, after all is our ultimate objective - to survive the winter and get to the warm days of Spring and Summer.
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