Aches and pains are something everyone lives with, yet often these symptoms feel even worse during the cold winter months, but why is?
Experiencing aches and pains in winter
Change of weather won’t cause a certain condition to happen, yet it may make your symptoms more evident.
For example, if you are an arthritis sufferer, your pain may become more prevalent due to the cold.
It restricts blood flow to our extremities like our hands and feet to focus on supplying blood to our vital organs.
This can make the joints feel tight, stiff and potentially painful.
Prevent those aches and pains in winter
When the cold winter months hit this can be a good excuse to keep inside and keep warm!
As in the warmer months, it’s just as important to keep physically active.
Getting movement back into your lifestyle can not only help you reduce those pesky aches and pains but fight against those winter blues.
Get moving
Movement, it’s not only essential to our daily living but can positively contribute to the reduction of pain.
Pain, depending on how tolerable can be a deterrent when moving.
Pain is a way of telling our bodies to stop what we are doing.
Depending on your level of pain, movement can actually help to limit the pain you are experiencing.
It keeps your muscles strong, joints free and is fantastic for our mental state.
Keep up your physical activity regime
When it’s warm and bright it can be easy to keep up the habits of being physically active.
It’s not uncommon to pack on a few pounds over winter, but these extra pounds can negatively impact the pressure on our joints.
If you are finding yourself in this situation, get exercising, shed those pounds – your joints will thank you later.
People who are limited by chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis or chronic disease can be limited by the amount of physical activity that can be achieved.
This doesn’t have to rule out activity altogether.
The best approach is to reach out to a physiotherapist who will outline your goals to plan a personalised treatment program that is healthy and safe.
Get some sun
Luckily in Australia, we can still grab some sun in winter and it’s important to make the most of this when we can.
Vitamin D which we get from the sun can play an important role in helping to keep our bones and joints healthy.
Studies have demonstrated the impact of direct sunlight, increased temperature and humidity and the positive effect it can have with people limited by diseases such as arthritis.
Make sure at every opportunity to get outside and soak up the sun, it will not only assist with reducing those aches and pains but help with your mental clarity.
Heat therapy
Heat improves blood flow, allowing for freer movement and activating our neural pathways that reduce our perception of pain.
Warm showers, baths and heat packs are all great choices to help reduce pain in your joints.
Try these tips and tricks to get moving without pain this winter!