Shoveling snow can be dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself

Summary

Life Kit (NPR): "Shoveling snow can be dangerous. Here's how to protect yourself"

Host: Marielle Segarra
Date: January 31, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of NPR's Life Kit, hosted by Marielle Segarra, focuses on the hidden dangers of shoveling snow and provides expert guidance on how to stay safe during winter storms. With another snowstorm imminent and heavy snow accumulations still lingering across many states, the episode aims to arm listeners with practical tips and crucial health warnings, particularly for those at greater risk of heart-related complications. Expert insights are offered by Dr. John Osborne, a cardiologist and volunteer for the American Heart Association, in conversation with NPR's Steve Inskeep.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Unexpected Risk of Shoveling Snow

• Shoveling snow is more strenuous than many realize, and can push the heart rate close to its maximum in just a short time.
  • Dr. John Osborne: "If we're shoveling snow for just 10 minutes in most people, we'll reach about 97% of our maximal predicted heart rate." (03:17)
• People often underestimate the weight and density of wet or icy snow.
  • Steve Inskeep: "This can be hundreds and hundreds of pounds of snow if you shovel a large area." (03:48)

High-Risk Groups & When to Be Extra Cautious

• Individuals with certain medical backgrounds are particularly vulnerable:
  • Relevant conditions: Heart disease, diabetes, history of stents, balloons, bypass surgery, or high blood pressure.
  • Older adults are at higher risk, especially those above 65—and some experts caution those above 45.
• Key warning: Treat shoveling as a rigorous “stress test” on your heart.
  • Dr. John Osborne: "It's a major stress test when you go out there and shovel snow." (03:30)

Dangers of Cold Temperatures

• The cold itself adds to cardiovascular strain by causing vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels).
  • Raised blood pressure and heart rate increase the risk of adverse events for those unaccustomed to the exertion.
  • Dr. John Osborne: "It could be cardiovascularly disastrous." (04:26)

Tips to Stay Safe While Shoveling

• Pace yourself and take breaks:
  • Steve Inskeep: "Every once in a while, I would just stop and stand there for a minute and catch my breath. Was that a good thing to do?" (05:04)
  • Dr. John Osborne: "Absolutely. Thumbs way up. Take it easy, go slow. We don't have to take care of the entire driveway in one fell swoop." (05:04-05:11)
• Dress in layers: Adjust clothing as your body temperature rises.
  • Dr. John Osborne: "Dress appropriate to the weather and layer, and if you get hot, you can begin to take off those layers." (05:21)

Physical Activity Beyond Shoveling

• Activities like sledding with kids can also be physically taxing, especially in deep, unpacked snow.
  • Steve Inskeep: "We were going up and down steep hills in really thick snow that did not hold our weight. Is that hazardous?" (05:30)
  • Dr. John Osborne: "If your body's not ready for that... it can be a lot of stress added to the heart." (05:48)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. John Osborne on exertion:
  "If we're shoveling snow for just 10 minutes in most people, we'll reach about 97% of our maximal predicted heart rate." (03:17)

• Dr. John Osborne on compounded risk:
  "If you're deconditioned, you're not doing this kind of work on a regular basis, and you go out, it's cold, you get vasoconstricted... it drives up the heart rate, it drives up the blood pressure, all of those factors put a major stress or load on the heart." (04:26)

• Steve Inskeep reflecting:
  "This can be hundreds and hundreds of pounds of snow if you shovel a large area." (03:48)

• Dr. John Osborne on pacing yourself:
  "Take it easy, go slow. We don't have to take care of the entire driveway in one fell swoop." (05:06)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 — Marielle Segarra introduces the episode and topic
• 02:35 — Steve Inskeep sets the scene after recent storms
• 02:58 — Introduction of Dr. John Osborne and core health message
• 03:17 — The major cardiovascular strain of shoveling
• 03:56 — Effects of snow weight and muscle usage
• 04:26 — How cold weather multiplies risk
• 05:04 — The importance of taking breaks
• 05:21 — Proper layering to regulate body temperature
• 05:30 — Hazards of other winter exertion activities
• 06:09 — Wrap-up and further resources

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Additional Resources

• Winter Home Safety Episode Link: Marielle Segarra mentions a related Life Kit episode on protecting your home during winter storms, available via the show notes.

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Closing Thoughts

This episode underscores that snow shoveling shouldn't be taken lightly, especially for anyone with cardiovascular risk factors. The advice is clear: Go slow, take breaks, dress smart, and—most of all—listen to your body. And remember, it's okay to ask for help or leave tough jobs for someone else if you're in a risky group.

“We don't have to take care of the entire driveway in one fell swoop.”
– Dr. John Osborne (05:06)

Transcript

[Marielle Segarra]

This is NPR's Life Kit. I'm Marielle Segarra. Hey, it's Marielle. In many states across the country, people are still digging out of last week's winter storm. And it turns out there is another storm coming this weekend. More snow on the ground means more snow to shovel, so we're bringing you some tips about how to stay safe while you're shoveling snow. You'll hear from Morning Edition host Steve Inskeeper after the break.

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[Steve Inskeep]

This past weekend's winter storms sent a lot of people outside with shovels or ice scrapers here in Washington, D.C. wet snow turned to sleet. National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Mossilli says sleet and the resulting ice. Ice weigh a lot more.

[Podcast Sponsor Announcer]

When there are greater amounts of water in the snow, you get that dense, heavy, wet snow that's harder to shovel and is a health risk.

[Steve Inskeep]

Yeah. This matters when you're trying to move all that stuff. Dr. John Osborne is a cardiologist and volunteer expert with the American Heart association, and he is offering some health advice. This story is close to my heart because I've been out shoveling. So what should I think about when I go out to shovel, especially really heavy snow?

[Dr. John Osborne]

Yeah, it's amazing how much physical exertion shoveling snow takes. If we're shoveling Snow for just 10 minutes in most people, we'll reach about 97% of our maximal predicted heart rate.

[Steve Inskeep]

Wow.

[Dr. John Osborne]

And if you have a prior history of heart disease, if you have diabetes, if you've had stents, balloons, bypass surgery, any of those things, I think everybody should be very cautious if you have a prior history of that, we'll also throw in high blood pressure as well. So it is a major stress test when you go out there and shovel snow.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm thinking about the reasons why, and one of them is just the weight. Right. This can be hundreds and hundreds of pounds of snow if you shovel a large area.

[Dr. John Osborne]

Absolutely. So huge amount of weight and depending upon the snow, the fluffy stuff versus the wet stuff. And a lot of that work is being done with our upper arms. Right. That's not where most of our muscles are. It's the lower extremities. So we're really testing our upper extremity strength dramatically. And so if you're older, if you're above 65, some people say even above 45, be cautious and please ask for help.

[Steve Inskeep]

And does the cold multiply the danger?

[Dr. John Osborne]

Absolutely. So, you know, first of all, if you're deconditioned, you're not doing this kind of work on a regular basis, and you go out, it's cold, you get vasoconstricted. Right. And on top of that, then when you start shoveling all that snow and it drives up the heart rate, it drives up the blood pressure, all of those factors put a major stress or load on the heart. And if you're not ready for it, it could be cardiovascularly disastrous.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm thinking of a couple of things that I did in the last day or two, and you can tell me if they were the right or the wrong thing. Every once in a while, I would just stop and stand there for a minute and catch my breath. Was that a good thing to do?

[Dr. John Osborne]

Absolutely. Thumbs way up. So take it easy, go slow. We don't have to take care of the entire driveway in one fell swoop.

[Steve Inskeep]

I also realized compared to past years, that I can dress more lightly and just sweat less because my body produces a lot of heat. Was that helpful?

[Dr. John Osborne]

Sure. I would say dress appropriate to the weather and layer and if you get hot, you can begin to take off those layers. So. Absolutely.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. I want to ask about another thing that may stress people, which I know that you guys have warned about. I went out to park with one of my daughters who wanted to do some sledding, which meant we were going up and down steep hills in really thick snow that did not hold our weight. Is that hazardous?

[Dr. John Osborne]

Absolutely. Again, puts you're out there burning off, I mean, good, good news is you're burning off a lot of calories. That's great.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay.

[Dr. John Osborne]

But again, if your body's not ready for that, not prepped for that, if you're not conditioned for that, it can be a lot of stress added to the heart.

[Steve Inskeep]

Dr. John Osborne, pleasure to talk with you. Thank you so much.

[Dr. John Osborne]

My pleasure. Such an honor, Steve.

[Marielle Segarra]

If you're anticipating more wintry weather this weekend or if you just want to stay ahead of any more storms coming your way, check out our episode on how to keep your house safe during a winter weather disaster. We'll link to it in our show notes. This episode of Life Kit was produced by Mika Ellison. Our visuals editor is Beck Harlan and our digital editor is Malika Garib. Megan Keane is our senior supervising editor and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Andy Taegle, Claire Marie Schneider, Margaret Serino and Sylvie Douglas. Engineering support comes from Zoe Vangenhoven. I'm Mariel Segarra. Thanks for listening.

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