If you have knee pain, you’ve probably noticed that as the temperature drops, the pain rises. It can make cold winter days particularly difficult and may make you feel like hibernating until the weather improves.
Risk to people with arthritis
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of knee pain. Experts are unclear why cold weather increases pain in arthritic joints but there are probably a number of different reasons. Cold weather tends to make people move about less, which is detrimental to joint health. The synovial fluid which cushions the joints may become more viscous (thicker) in cold weather. This limits its effectiveness as a shock absorber and can cause your knee to feel stiff and achy.
When the barometric pressure falls, preceding the arrival of cold weather, it causes the tissues inside your body to expand, which can lead to an increase in joint pain. If your knee is inflamed due to osteoarthritis, or scarred through injury, the nerves inside your joint can become increasingly sensitive to changes in temperature. When cold temperatures combine with high humidity, both bone and cartilage cells may suffer damage.
Increased chance of injury
As well as causing problems for arthritis sufferers, colder weather also increases the risk of knee injury. This is because a fall in temperature causes muscles, tendons and ligaments to become less elastic and more prone to tears, sprains or ruptures.
Possible injuries include patellar tendonitis, caused by damage to the tissues between the kneecap and the tibia, and runner’s knee which is an umbrella term for a range of knee conditions linked to running (such as iliotibial syndrome).
Tips to reduce knee pain in cold weather
If you suffer from painful knees in cold weather here are some simple tips to reduce the impact and help you manage your symptoms more effectively:
- Keep on top of the pain by taking regular painkillers, as prescribed by your doctor. Be sure to follow any dosage instructions.
- Warmth can help reduce joint pain. Stay warm at home by keeping your house well heated and using electric blankets and hot water bottles. Wrap up well when you go out, so you stay warm and dry. Stay indoors if you can in extreme weather conditions.
- Stay active. Even though the temptation may be to huddle up in front of the TV and do nothing, this is not good for joint health. Try a few simple daily stretches to keep your joints supple and strong. Ask your doctor to recommend a basic exercise regime.
- Use a knee brace to reduce swelling and help to improve the stability of your knee.
- Stay well-hydrated and eat well. Living with chronic pain can be tiring and may also lead to anxiety and depression so it is important to look after yourself as well as you can, get enough sleep and find ways to support both your physical and mental wellbeing.
