Winter pains

So many people suffer from winter pains and a lot of people put up with them and think it’s inevitable that they will get more pain in winter.  However, there is plenty that you can do to reduce those aches and pains as the weather gets colder.

Why does everything hurt more in the cold?

There are lots of theories about why things are more painful when the cold weather hits.  Some say it’s because of reduced blood supply when it’s colder and that means inflammation tends to sit in joints, and joints aren’t as well nourished as they would be when blood supply is better.  Other’s suggest it’s because the nervous system is more excited and sensitive, and still others suggest it’s because muscles are tighter when it’s cold.  Or maybe it’s because people naturally don’t exercise as much in winter as it’s not as tempting to go out.

I suspect it’s a combination of all of these and probably a few other factors too, but one thing that we consistently see is that the pain can be improved.

Top tips for fighting winter pains

1. Keep warm and use heat: When you go out, make sure you wrap up warm and try not to hunch yourself up against the cold.  When you’re at home, get some heat (hot water bottle, heat pack, warm bath or shower) on the areas that ache. 15-20 minutes at a time works well.
2. Gentle, regular movements of the affected joints: Keep the blood supply going by regularly keeping joints moving.  Gentle, regular movements are the way to go to coax joints into moving rather than forcing them.  These are particularly useful first thing in the morning and last thing at night as you’ll tend to stiffen up overnight a little.
3. Try to keep going with regular exercise…walking, swimming, or an exercise bike are all great for keeping things moving, the blood supply good and the muscles strong.  Exercise doesn’t have to be too intense, just something that get’s you moving. Even a little bit is better than none.

You don’t have to put up with pain

If you follow the three tips above, most aches and pains from the cold will improve, if not completely, then they should feel easier.  However, if you want advice on which exercises would be best for your particular pain, or want some treatment to help improve the pain, then please get in touch.  You can e-mail andy@truephysio.co.uk and I’ll get back in touch with you personally, or please give one of the clinics a call.