Colds and osteoarthritis: why joints hurt in winter (and how to prevent it)

The feeling of discomfort in the knees, back or ankles when the temperature drops is not exclusive to the elderly. Here we explain why it happens, how it can affect our quality of life, and how to take care of these ailments.

There are people who, without looking at the weather forecast, believe they have a gift for predicting a bad weather front. How do they know? Their joints hurt. But this gift, which many meteorologists already wanted, has more of a curse than a blessing for those who experience it, because boy can it be boring. And it really has nothing to do with whether it’s going to rain or whether it’s getting colder.

“It’s a myth,” says Agustín León, orthopedic surgeon at Clínica Indisa, because the relationship between weather and joint conditions has not been scientifically proven. Yet there they are: every winter, every freezing day, the knees, hips, spine and ankles sting the conscience with a sharp pain, annoying enough to ruin the day.

“There is no specific cause to determine why a person might have more pain in the winter, but it has been found to be linked to patients who have some degree of inflammation, wear or tear. osteoarthritis in one of the joints,” explains León. According to the knee specialist, certain theories associate these conditions with variations in atmospheric pressure, variations which in turn generate changes in the tendons, muscles and other soft tissues that cover the joints. “This can produce greater stress on these structures, increasing the pressure inside the joint.”

“Some authors think that when the atmospheric pressure drops, the synovial fluid expands, which would increase the pressure in the joints, generating pain,” adds Claudio Villagrán, director of the school of kinesiology at Finis Terrae University.

Why does osteoarthritis occur?

As age progresses, osteoarthritis also appears more likely, a group of joint problems that are characterized by the deterioration and loss of cartilage in the joints, changes in subchondral tissue – the soft area of ​​bones and located under the cartilage – and various compromises of other areas, such as the synovial membrane, essential for the lubrication, elasticity, support and function of areas such as the knees, ankles, elbows, hips and wrists.

My knee hurts: will there be showers?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide prevalence of osteoarthritis is 47%, with the female population being the most affected (63%). In fact, women have been shown to have a 2.6 times higher risk than men of developing what is also called osteoarthritis. Meanwhile, the joints that tend to concentrate these conditions are the spine (39%), knees (37%), hands (15%) and hips (9%).

It is a disease that occurs frequently in the elderly and is the main cause of disability in this age group. It used to be called degenerative joint disease (DAD), but evidence has shown that its appearance isn’t just due to the wear and tear of aging.

Indeed, as established by the Ministry of Health (Minsal), the causes of osteoarthritis are as much linked to the passing of years as to exposure to various risk factors. On the one hand, genetic inheritance, obesity, reproductive variables or osteoporosis; and on the other hand, the type of work done with the body, the presence of joint trauma or the prolonged development of impact sports.

It is therefore not surprising that as soon as a young person presents with any type of joint disease, he is accused of the popular phrase “the old man came to you”. But is it so? Is it so strange that someone in their 40s, 30s, 20s or even younger has joint pain?

Agustín León says that there are young patients who have suffered a joint fracture in the arms or legs who can also present a feeling of pain in these areas when the ambient temperature is low. “It has to do with the difference in tissue between a healthy bone and a consolidated bone (as a healed bone is called). This piece may have different mechanical characteristics from the rest and, therefore, react differently to atmospheric pressure, generating discomfort”.

Having suffered serious injuries is not the only possible cause of joint discomfort. The cold itself causes tension in muscles and tendons, loss of flexibility and slowing of movement. This stiffness can be manifested by a feeling of pain or discomfort in the joints, especially those that are constantly stressed, such as the knees or the lower back.

cold and pain

Joint pain is not necessarily a symptom of an injury, but rather of wear and tear on the area or perhaps an unwanted legacy that left behind previous damage. Although if it is something frequent, especially if it is older adults, it is advisable to consult a specialist.

“These are pains that have no other risk than the discomfort and unease they cause”, explains Claudio Villagrán. The problem is that physical performance can be diminished and “this pain could lead to negative mechanical compensation and generate muscle imbalances or asymmetries, which would eventually trigger some type of injury to the musculoskeletal system”.

Those who suffer from it know that these pains impact and affect daily activities. Opening or closing a door, climbing stairs, sitting down and getting up become stressful moments. It can even deteriorate the quality of sleep, preventing people from getting restful rest and, therefore, as Villagrán explains, lowering the quality of life.

“It is common that in winter what happens in English is called the Blues: a depressing winter melancholy. And when you are depressed, you become more sensitive to pain,” comments Agustín León. This situation occurs, especially, when there is a reduction in daily activities, especially those that usually take place outdoors. If you stop taking your daily walk or your weekend walks, or even stop going to the supermarket because of the cold or fear of rain, you might see your mood drop. Too bad, we are usually animals.

Osteoarthritis causes pain in the knees, ankles, wrists and fingers when it is cold.

For the worse, we usually fill that void left by activity in our itineraries with food. The common kilos that are high in winter. The problem is that the more weight you gain, the more your joints will have to load, the more they will wear out and the more likely it will be that when the cold days arrive, ailments will appear.

How to Prevent Osteoarthritis

We’ve already said it: the less you move, the more you risk feeling discomfort in your joints. Therefore, going into hibernation mode during the winter is a mistake and an invitation to discomfort; on the contrary, it is essential to stay active.

“If you are a patient accustomed to prolonged walking every day, or someone who likes to play sports and exercise every week, the ideal is to try to keep moving. If you remain flexible, with healthy muscles, the possibility of having pain decreases,” advises León.

According to Claudio Villagrán, joint diseases can be avoided through controlled and progressive physical activity. To do this, he recommends “activating the body slowly”. As? Let’s proceed step by step:

  • Walk for 10 minutes at light to moderate intensities, feeling that the activity is “easy and not strenuous”.
  • Stretch large muscle groups. What is this? The hamstrings (those behind the thigh), quadriceps (above the knees), legs, arms and also spine movement in all directions but without causing pain.

Did you expect more steps? Well, that shows you how simple it can be. The important thing, says the kinesiologist, is to do 30 minutes of controlled physical activity. With this you can already prevent these joint pains.

Of course, there are certain aspects that must be taken care of during the activity, especially those that exceed the barrier of 50 years. For example, jogging with shoes suitable for the surface. Agustín León says that the ideal is to avoid repetitive impacts, such as the rebound generated during a descent in trekking or when descending stairs.

Staying hydrated, despite the fact that in winter we don’t feel like drinking water or cold liquids, is also part of our responsibilities. León says that hot drinks like tea or herbs are just as good as iced ones. This is relevant, because in this way we allow the cartilage to take charge of “maintaining the hydration of the joint and thus avoiding inflammation and pain”.

On the other hand, specialists recommend staying warm, but doing so in layers and not just because of a big jacket you want to wear. Doing so allows you to play with the variations in body temperature that occur throughout the day, according to the traumatologist. For his part, Claudio Villagrán recommends the use of gloves to those who suffer from joint pain in the hands and wrists.

Villagrán points out that if you feel pain in your joints, it would be a mistake to self-medicate. “If necessary, a doctor should be consulted.” It is also not essential to rest, unless it has been indicated by “your initial or basal state, of some osteoarticular pathology”.

Read more about cold in Practical


Source: Latercera

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