Long Island emergency departments report frostbite, chest pains and falls from storm
To avoid the dangers of shoveling, experts recomend keeping your spine straight. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Long Islanders developed hypothermia from staying out in the cold too long, slipped and fell on icy streets and felt chest pains after shoveling the heavy snow, hospital emergency departments reported.
Doctors saw some weather-related injuries on Sunday and Monday, but more were expected as people dug out from the storm.
Catholic Health’s hospitals, which include Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson and St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center in Roslyn, saw an "uptick in winter-related emergencies, treating patients for chest paints triggered by snow shoveling and frostbite caused by prolonged exposure to the cold," Dr. Christopher Raio, chief of emergency medicine at Catholic Health, told Newsday in an email.
The American Heart Association said research shows shoveling snow "may lead to an increased risk of a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest." And a 2010 study found snow shoveling resulted in over 11,000 injuries a year, including 100 deaths.
Hypothermia is another hazard that can "sneak up on you," said Dr. Robert Schwaner, medical director of the department of emergency medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital
Prolonged exposure to very cold temperatures can cause a person’s body heat to drop, leading to confusion.
"We saw a couple of cases of hypothermia, but mild, thankfully," Schwaner said, adding it was mainly people who were shoveling snow during a lull in the storm.
"People are outside for too long and they think they are OK," he said. "But the colder you get, the less aware you are that you need to get out of the elements."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,024 deaths were attributed to "excessive cold or hypothermia" in 2023. The highest percentage of cases took place in January.
Schwaner said they also had numerous slip-and-fall cases and advised people to go slow when they are walking on snow covered and icy streets.
"Even though the snow has stopped, for the next five days it’s going to be as cold as can be," he said.
About 121 patients came to South Shore University Hospital’s emergency department on Sunday, roughly half an average day, said Dr. Daniel Frank, associate chair of emergency medicine at the Bay Shore hospital. He said they saw the usual mix of cases that include respiratory illness, injuries from motor vehicle accidents, cardiac complaints and slip-and-fall incidents.
Sunday "was a day when, I think, most people kind of hunkered down," Frank said. "People are shoveling out their driveways today and going back out on the roads."
SNOW SHOVELING TIPS
Newsday spoke with Long Island orthopedic surgeons on how to shovel snow without risking a back or shoulder injury. They offered the following tips:
- Warm up before heading outside by rotating your torso, stretching your hamstrings, rolling your shoulders and marching in place.
- Maintain a proper posture: don’t round your shoulders or your back, avoid leaning over and keep your spine straight while shoveling. Focus on lifting with your legs and not your back.
- Use an ergonomic shovel with a curved handle to help keep stress off your spine.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
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