I don’t know about you, but to us, winter is feeling EXTRA cold this year!! Perhaps, being locked inside for the last two years made us to forget that winter ever existed!!

As the weather gets colder, many people may begin to feel their bones ache more than usual. It could simply be a response from the icy cold air or maybe you’re experiencing symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). Osteoarthritis is a very common degenerative condition that can affect any joint in the body. However, we tend to see that OA mostly affects joints that bear our body weight, such as our knees or feet. Additionally, joints that we use frequently in our daily lives, such as the joints in our hands, are also frequently affected. In our joints, there is a tough, yet smooth coating called cartilage, which covers the surface of the bone. Cartilage allows the bones to easily move against one another. However, OA can cause the cartilage to thin, allowing the joints surface to become rough. This affects the smooth movement of the joint, causing us pain and stiffness. Someone that has OA will most likely experience the following symptoms:

• Pain or aching in a joint
• Joint stiffness commonly first thing in the morning or after periods of resting.
• Reduced range of motion at the joint
• Clicking sound when moving the joint
• Swelling
• Joint instability

Factors that may contribute to the development of OA:

• Increasing age
• Previous history of joint injury
• Obesity
• Overuse of the joints
• Gender
• Genetics

Some people can experience an increase in symptoms during the seasonal changes due to the atmospheric pressure falling. However, the change in weather does not cause you to development OA, it rather increases the prevalence of symptoms! Unfortunately, there isn’t a specific cure for OA, but there are ways to help reduce your pain during day-to-day activity.

1. Strengthening exercises
2. Stretching the muscles
3. Manual therapy, such as osteopathic treatment can be beneficial in the management of OA
4. Heat-pack on the joint for 20 minutes at a time (great way to keep warm during the cold mornings/night)

Stay warm, stay healthy and stay mobile this winter 🙂