Many people who suffer with arthritis report their symptoms to be worse in winter. Why is that? We had Briony do some research into why this might be the case.
Arthritis is a common condition, affecting 48.9%of people over the age of 75 worldwide(1). There are multiple types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis being the two most common, accounting for 57% and 13.9% of arthritic cases respectively(1). For the purpose of this article, we will be focusing on osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can also commonly be referred to as “wear and tear” or “age related degeneration”.
There is a general consensus amongst medical professionals that arthritic patients report their pain to be worse in winter(1-3). Despite this anecdotal evidence, there is minimal and conflicting research as to how and why this happens(2). Multiple theories exist on how winter influences arthritis, though there is little consistent data to support one theory over another.
The most researched theory is cold temperatures and its effects on arthritic joints(1-3). The thinking is that cold temperatures can cause thickening to the fluid inside joints (synovial fluid) which leads to increased stiffness and pain(1-3). This thickening of fluid is yet to be proven, though consistent evidence supports that for every 10 degree celsius drop in atmospheric temperature, arthritis patients will report their pain to be more intense and have a greater impact on day-to-day activities(2). Barometric/atmospheric pressure can also increase the stiffness of joints by increasing the internal pressure of the arthritic joint(2,3) resulting in more intense and frequent pain(3).
Another avenue of research into winter's effects on arthritis, has nothing to do with temperature or the atmosphere at all, but to do with human psychology and behaviour in winter(2). We have all heard of, and maybe some of us dealt with, the “winter blues”. But have you considered how this may be impacting your pain? Long periods of cloudy or rainy weather has been proven to negatively impact people’s moods/mental health(2). The lower someone’s mood, the more likely they are to focus on bodily pain(2), with people in a depressed state experiencing their pain at higher intensity without any physical change to the health of their tissues(2).
Physical activity, including resistance training, is one of our biggest tools for reducing arthritic pain(4). Unfortunately, this too can be impacted by winter weather: “it's raining outside so I won’t walk the dog”, or “I won’t go out in the garden, it’s too cold”. This overall decrease in physical activity due to weather changes, increases sedentary habits, furthering stiffness and pain to arthritic joints(2). It is therefore important to notice this change in activity and adjust our habits to continue keeping physically active in a different way to which we wound in the warmer months.
So with the weather possibly making our joints stiffer, lowering our moods and decreasing our physical activity: what is there to be done? Move house to a warmer, drier climate? There are simpler, closer to home options available to help manage arthritis in winter:
Keeping the affected area of the body warm
This can be achieved with the use of heat packs/hot water bottles, taking warm baths/showers, wearing weather appropriate clothing as well as support garments such as arthritic socks/gloves.
Continuing to engage in physical activity
Indoor activities are a great option: indoor swimming pools, gyms, home based exercise equipment such as stationary bikes or treadmills.
Engaging in resistance training to help support affected joints and keep soft tissues healthy.
Continuing to cycle through active and sedentary tasks throughout the day at 30-60 minute intervals.
Looking after your mental health
There are many more aspects to maintaining your mental health, which we will not list here for the sake of keeping this article brief. If you are in need of crisis support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Manual therapy
Manual therapists, such as osteopaths, utilise techniques that can help decrease pain and stiffness in arthritic joints. We aim to increase the range and quality of motion to help decrease pain and reduce the impact arthritis has on day-to-day activities.
If you have further questions regarding arthritis and what you can do to help minimise its impact on your life, book an appointment with one of our osteopaths to discuss your options. You can book an appointment by calling us on 03 5982 2600 or booking online via our website.
References:
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2022, Arthritis, ABS, viewed 22 July 2024, <https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/arthritis/latest-release>.
Wang, Lin et al. “Associations between weather conditions and osteoarthritis pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Annals of medicine vol. 55,1 (2023): 2196439. doi:10.1080/07853890.2023.2196439
Turner, Meredith N et al. “The Role of Resistance Training Dosing on Pain and Physical Function in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.” Sports health vol. 12,2 (2020): 200-206. doi:10.1177/1941738119887183