Expert explains how cold weather aggravates joint pain

Its winter and cold weather is sweeping across much of the Pakistan. While cold weather can be beneficial to human health, it can also increase the chances of getting sick and bring other health risks such as such as arthritis.

There are several reasons why winter may cause joints to feel achy. The cold naturally makes muscles feel more tensed up and tight. This tension may lead to less mobility and flexibility in the joints and our bodies' pain receptors become more sensitive in the winter, which intensifies our already intense agony.

Some studies also associate joint pain with changes in barometric pressure, when barometric pressure changes, that can cause our bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments to expand, said Dr Kazim Rahim, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and Pakistan Arthroplasty Society treasurer who also serves as an associate professor at the Liaquat National Hospital.

“Injuries or ageing are typically linked to joint pain,” he said, adding that joint problems usually affected older individuals and people with sedentary lifestyle.

“You can experience pain in any part of your body, but cold weather discomfort occurs mainly in the hips, knees and ankles. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can impact your perception of pain, as feelings of depression or sadness can make you more attuned to pain. Yet another theory suggests the synovial fluid that acts like motor oil inside your joints thickens in cold temperatures, causing joint stiffness and pain in cold weather,” he explained.

He asked people dealing with medical conditions such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) to see a doctor or orthopaedist if they continually felt their legs were cold in both warm and cooler months.

Meanwhile, Dr Yasir Khan, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and member European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery & Arthroscopy, advised people feeling pain in winter to dress in layers when they went out and take a warm bath. “Warm water can help soothe aching joints, as well as the muscles surrounding them.”

Regular exercise builds up muscle and bone strength to help protect joints. It also promotes better mobility by keeping joints and muscles from becoming too stiff, he said.