Plummeting temperatures, frozen lakes, and chilly mornings can only mean one thing: winter has arrived. For some, this conjures up memories of pearly-white fields, crackling fireplaces and Christmas feasts; for other, stinging cold and painful joints.
The winter season can be very hard on aching joints, with the cold making particularly stiff and painful. A decrease in joint mobility and flexibility usually arises in both men and women when they have reached the age of 50, making the what seem like simple daily movements ” such as walking or picking things up ” especially painful. Various top osteopaths have agreed to share some of their tips on how to get the most out of your joints this winter:
ADVICE FOR MEN
- Dont lift heavy objects too often.
- Be cautious when carrying loads on your shoulder ” this puts a lot of pressure on your knees as well
TIPS FOR WOMEN
- Avoid wearing excessively high heels (under 4 cm) to prevent damage to the knees, back, and ankles
- Refrain from carrying heavy handbags, as they can be damaging to the joints in the long term.
TIPS FOR BOTH GENDERS
- Be sure to cover up when going outside. Wearing high socks or stockings over the knees, and thick gloves and jumpers keeps your joints warm and mobile.
- After spending time in the cold, take a bath or shower and loosen up your joints in warm water.
- Do sets of exercises on a regular basis that test range-motion of your joints. It is important to keep the blood flowing, but know your limits ” stop if it becomes too painful.
- Regulate your weight by getting the right nutrients. This way you keep your joints healthy, and prevent your weight from hindering your joint movement.
- It is recommended that you sleep on a firm mattress. This is not only limited to people who have problems with their backs and shoulders. While there is no ideal mattress that suits everyone, choosing the right mattress that meets your needs is not only essential to getting a good nights rest, but key to preventing that morning joint-stiffness.
- Use assistive devices such as supportive straps (these are available for knees, ankles, wrists, and others) on the weakest joints if you are suffering from (early symptoms of) arthritis.
HOW OSTEOPATHS CAN HELP
Consulting an osteopath can be useful in many respects, especially because they can help diagnose what problems you have (joint pains can often be early symptoms of either Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis, so it is important to be cognisant of these problems before they get worse), and devise a treatment plan that suits your needs. Through a combination of exercises, massages, and therapeutic techniques, osteopaths can help minimize your symptoms and use their expertise about the muscular-skeletal system to your advantage.
A lot of the tips above ring true for other times of year as well, but during the winter we must take extra precautions to protect our joints. As long as you keep your joints covered up and follow an exercise routine, winters cold should not be able to penetrate your skin, or indeed, your joints.
The content of this page is informed by feedback from practices in Hertfordshire and also osteopathic practitioners in Exeter. Further input was received from a practitioner in Edinburgh and clinics in Covent Garden. Finally a contribution was made by osteopaths in the Nottingham area.