How to Stay Active and Avoid Joint Pain During the Winter Months

Cold, damp weather affects some people by increasing joint pain and making it very hard to stay active. Why is that? When it’s cold, your body must shift attention to making sure that the inner core is warm enough. The inner core is where your organs like the brain and lungs are, and they need to have proper blood flow to keep you healthy. 

When circulation slows to the extremities, joints stiffen and pain increases. Your joint’s synovial fluid, which helps keep a joint lubricated, thickens when it’s cold. Plus, it’s cold and you just don’t want to be outside in the cold, damp weather. You’re not moving around as much, so your muscles, tendons, and ligaments aren’t stretching as often. That also makes joints ache more.

While the key to avoiding joint pain is to stay active, it’s hard when it’s cold outside. Fresno’s weather doesn’t often go below freezing, but evenings are known to dip into the 30s, which can increase the risk of joint pain. Make the most of warmer days and use these tips from our team at Premium Sports and Orthopedics to stay active despite the winter weather.

Workout Inside

On days when it’s too cold and rainy to go outside, don’t give up your fitness routine. Talk to your doctor about how much exercise and what types of exercise are suitable for you. If you have chronic health conditions like diabetes, it’s important to understand how to exercise safely. 

Once you have an idea of how long and intense your fitness routines can be, look at exercises you can do. If you have the funds, an exercise bike or treadmill are two pieces of equipment that are relatively low impact and good for strengthening joints, even if arthritis is present. 

If you don’t you can still stretch and improve flexibility through programs like Tai Chi and Yoga. A free YouTube account opens the door to hundreds of instructional videos you can do from the comfort of your home. You can also look for free or discounted fitness classes at your local community center or church.

Get Outside When You Can

When it’s nice enough to be outside, make an effort to head out into the fresh air. If your joints stiffen in cooler weather, consider wearing extra layers to keep them warmer.

Before you get started on a walk or other activity, warm up. Don’t dive right in without first getting your heart rate up or stretching your muscles. Never forget to cool down when you’re done. Instead of stopping all activity immediately, slow your pace and let your heart rate slowly come down.

An important thing to remember is that you can ease stiffness and pain through exercise. Keep your joints moving to help ease the discomfort. You may not be ready to run a marathon, but a walk through a park or a nature trail helps clear your mind and eases stress. You’re also getting the exercise you need to keep your joints lubricated.

Stay Hydrated

Hydration is equally important in avoiding joint pain in cool weather. When you’re inside all day in a heated environment, the air is drier than usual. Your body’s natural thirst response reduces in cooler weather. It’s easy to become dehydrated. 

When you’re not taking in enough water, it impacts your cells because they’re not getting enough water. Plus, your blood isn’t as watery, which impacts the delivery of oxygen throughout your body. Waste from your kidneys doesn’t flush out as well. This also impacts your joints. 

Make sure you’re drinking enough water. A general goal is 2.7 liters for a woman and 3.7 liters for a man. You can achieve this if you drink a small glass of water every hour. Bring a water bottle that’s marked with lines to keep track of how much you’ve drank. It makes it easy to keep up with the recommended fluid intake. 

Eat a Healthy Diet

What you eat also helps keep your joints from aching. Joint health starts with your diet. Avoid processed foods. Granola bars may be easy to carry when you’re outside, but they’re usually packed with sugar and unhealthy fats. Make your own using natural sugars, like pureed dates, nuts, spices, and oats. Fresh fruit is another good snack when you’re outside and active. 

Your diet should include a balance of grains, nuts, fruit, vegetables, and protein. In addition to staying hydrated, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables help your cells heal and regenerate. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood help your joints stay fluid. Protein helps muscles recover.

Lose Weight 

If you are overweight, work with a specialist in weight loss. Even five extra pounds puts a lot of extra strain on your joints. If you are five pounds overweight, it puts about 20 extra pounds of force on your joints. If you’re 10 pounds overweight, that’s 40 pounds of extra force. You now have cold weather and additional force doubling down on the pain your joints experience.

Is It Arthritis?

Are you sure that the joint pain you’re experiencing isn’t arthritis? Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when cartilage decreases in a joint after years or decades of use. Eventually, you have two bones rubbing against each other, which causes the discomfort and stiffness you experience when exercising.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another type of arthritis that leads to joint pain. In this case, the body perceives healthy cells as an invader and launches an attack. That inflammatory response causes swelling and joint pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is most common in the fingers, hands, wrists, knees, ankles, and feet.

With rheumatoid arthritis, the joint pain and swelling may lead to joint deformities that increase the pain. It can also damage the heart, lungs, and nerves over time.

With either type of arthritis, the cold weather may increase the pain and stiffness. Physical therapy helps keep the joints as flexible as possible. It’s also a good way to improve range of motion and balance.

What If You Need Professional Guidance?

As winter reaches a midpoint, you’ve already been less active and it shows. Your stamina and flexibility have tanked. You’re not sure how to get back on track. The longer you delay it, the more weight you gain and muscle you lose. This is when it’s time to talk to a joint expert.

Dr. Erick Green is a specialist in sports and orthopedics medicine in California. Schedule an appointment to learn more about different regenerative medicines and fitness programs that help you avoid aching joints this winter and enjoy year-round outdoor activities.