Snow Shoveling - Exercise or Health Risk
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I've always had to do it, did not have a brother or father figure to do it for me, my mom and sisters. I used to live on a corner property, and that was the worst. I always had back pain afterwards, but never thought much of it because it was just a necessity that had to get done.
We were gifted an old snow blower two years ago, so we fill it with gas and then run it up and down the sidewalks on our street until it runs out. Husband runs the blower, I follow behind with a shovel to scrape up any compacted stuff. A few neighbors have written thank you cards for our efforts, but it's really so easy with a snowblower that it would feel selfish to not help others out. We don't do driveways, but hopefully clearing the sidewalks helps prevent some injuries for some folks.
Edit: I live in New Jersey, we get snow but usually not feet of it at a time.5 -
Snow blower for the win!
I'm 65, in good shape for my age, but just don't enjoy the cold or the risks inherent with shovelling snow. If it's a light snow, I'll just broom it off the walks. Anything deeper than that the snow blower makes mercifully short work of.5 -
All exercise is a risk if your fitness level is knocking up against the rocks. That includes getting on the treadmill at the doctor's office. You can have a heart attack right then and there on the dreadmill. You're closer to the operating table but fitness level rules the day no matter what you're doing.2
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psychod787 wrote: »I live in Florida... so unnecessary... is that an option.. lol
you still have to mow though. :-P4 -
So it seems to be snowing. Probably won't stick (not cold enough) but I am going to blame this thread.3
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nighthawk584 wrote: »Considering last year at this time I was around 80 lbs heavier, snow shoveling should be a breeze and my ticker shouldn't be in so much stress this year! Now watch, I slip and fall and break my neck! Living is a risk.
Sometimes I think it would be easier with more weight to throw into it.1 -
nighthawk584 wrote: »Considering last year at this time I was around 80 lbs heavier, snow shoveling should be a breeze and my ticker shouldn't be in so much stress this year! Now watch, I slip and fall and break my neck! Living is a risk.
Sometimes I think it would be easier with more weight to throw into it.
haha! I am not gaining back the 80 to test that theory again! besides, I have a snow blower if it gets too bad!
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If you have heart disease, you should probably just let someone else shovel the snow. Cold weather, in general, puts more pressure on the heart. Adding strenuous snow shoveling on top is a disaster waiting to happen. My latest edition of the Harvard Heart Letter just had a pretty convicing case for avoiding it.
If you're young and healthy - go for it!1 -
Never tell me the odds.6
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I broke my ribs last winter shoveling snow. Operator error. I was running the snow shovel 90 mph down the driveway with the handle next to my ribs when I hit a large seam in the concrete. Handle caught and my ribs took the blow. It took months and months of recovery time and I still can't roll over on that side when I sleep. Lesson learned, don't hold the handle next to your belly or ribs for leverage. Snow shoveling is necessary in deep snow country or it turns into solid ice. Broken arms, wrists, ankles, back injuries, concussions. All of these things have happened to my relatives/neighbors in one way or another with snow season. You can get out of your car onto solid snow/ice and fall right under your car, crack your head. Snow is flat out a hazard on the interstate or driveway. Heart attacks and broken bones. 'Ok, campers. Rise and shine and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there. It's cold out there every day.'6
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The same can be said for carrying in groceries, yet its a necessary task. Some people can't afford to pay others to shovel their snow, and unfortunately the job still needs to get done. As others have said, people need to know their limits and that is why its important to stay in shape and try to be as healthy as possible. I love shoveling snow, and do view it as exercise, but I also know I can't remove every bit of snow from the driveway in one scoop. I can just as easily hurt myself in the gym if I try to lift more than I am capable of, or if my form is poor.5
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So it seems to be snowing. Probably won't stick (not cold enough) but I am going to blame this thread.
Yeah, someone HAD to mention snow, and look what happens. The snow at my house this morning was SO heavy, it was dragging down tree branches and power lines. My power kept flickering on and off. That's the stuff they call "heart attack snow". When it does pile up, it's like shoveling concrete. And most snowblowers can't handle stuff that heavy.3 -
The same can be said for carrying in groceries, yet its a necessary task. Some people can't afford to pay others to shovel their snow, and unfortunately the job still needs to get done. As others have said, people need to know their limits and that is why its important to stay in shape and try to be as healthy as possible. I love shoveling snow, and do view it as exercise, but I also know I can't remove every bit of snow from the driveway in one scoop. I can just as easily hurt myself in the gym if I try to lift more than I am capable of, or if my form is poor.
Dang, I'd like for you to come over and shovel all of the snow. I'd view it as exercise craning my neck just watching you. You're correct. I've been shoveling snow since I was a kid but I still have some lessons to learn. 0 -
Snow shoveling & me #2:
This is an approximation of the contour of driveway I HAD to shovel as a pre- and teen boy back in the day and why I will not go out of my way to shovel today and am so grateful for my current residence...FLAT!!! 😆0 -
nighthawk584 wrote: »psychod787 wrote: »I live in Florida... so unnecessary... is that an option.. lol
you still have to mow though. :-P
Very true! I live in southeast Texas and we have to mow, edge, and weed year-round.
ETA: I got a nastygram from my HOA one year about my unruly yard. It's was February.2 -
Mowing/leave raking: Hated it! As a boy, not so bad raking clippings yards were flat not a lot of leaves in fall, then we moved...to a home located on a hill, with hilly yards; tree covered hilly yards; tree covered hilly yards strewn with all manner of sticks, leaves, rocks and dirt (areas that grass could never grow); tree covered hilly yards strewn with all manner of sticks, leaves, rocks and dirt with parents unwilling, if unable to pay for lawn care when they had young and healthy if not totally unwilling to do boys living in their house available to do it 😒
Today, I live in and apartment complex and all that's done by contractors 😁2 -
I don’t rake leaves I just cover them with shoveled snow3
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Snow blower for the win! 😁
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