Icy winds, frosty fields, and plummeting temperatures can only mean one thing: winter is here. For some, this stirs up fantasies of cosy fireplaces and Christmas turkey; for others, piercing cold and aching joints.
The winter season can be particularly hard on already sensitive joints, often making them stiff and painful. Typically, men and women suffer from joint stiffness after they reach the age of 50, often losing flexible mobility and range in their joint functioning, making daily actions such as walking or picking up objects rather painful. To prepare yourself for winters cold, some of the leading osteopaths share a few of their tips on how to maintain flexible joints in the upcoming months:
MALE-SPECIFIC TIPS
- Avoid lifting heavy objects as much as possible
- Be cautious when carrying loads on your shoulder " this puts a lot of pressure on your knees as well
ADVICE FOR WOMEN
- Avoid wearing heels higher than 4cm; this prevents further injury to the back, knees, and ankles.
- Refrain from carrying heavy handbags, as they can be damaging to the joints in the long term.
ADVICE 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.
- Follow a regular exercise program that test the ranger and mobility of your joints, but do not exceed your limit. Always stop when 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.
- If you are suffering from arthritis (or early symptoms of the disease), you are advised to use assistive devices (such as knee, wrist, elbow, or other joint braces) on the most painful areas.
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.
Much of the above advise can be applied all your round, but it is important to take extra care during the winter season to protect painful and stiff joints. As long as you keep your joints active and warm, there is no reason for you not to enjoy the winter season.
The winter season can be particularly hard on already sensitive joints, often making them stiff and painful. Typically, men and women suffer from joint stiffness after they reach the age of 50, often losing flexible mobility and range in their joint functioning, making daily actions such as walking or picking up objects rather painful. To prepare yourself for winters cold, some of the leading osteopaths share a few of their tips on how to maintain flexible joints in the upcoming months:
MALE-SPECIFIC TIPS
- Avoid lifting heavy objects as much as possible
- Be cautious when carrying loads on your shoulder " this puts a lot of pressure on your knees as well
ADVICE FOR WOMEN
- Avoid wearing heels higher than 4cm; this prevents further injury to the back, knees, and ankles.
- Refrain from carrying heavy handbags, as they can be damaging to the joints in the long term.
ADVICE 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.
- Follow a regular exercise program that test the ranger and mobility of your joints, but do not exceed your limit. Always stop when 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.
- If you are suffering from arthritis (or early symptoms of the disease), you are advised to use assistive devices (such as knee, wrist, elbow, or other joint braces) on the most painful areas.
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.
Much of the above advise can be applied all your round, but it is important to take extra care during the winter season to protect painful and stiff joints. As long as you keep your joints active and warm, there is no reason for you not to enjoy the winter season.
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, clinical publisher at the Osteopath Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions, drug-free treatment, pain management and how to find a Ealing osteopaths. He is interested in the treatment of back pain, neck pain and injury and pain management.
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