Month: September 2016

If you suffer from chronic joint pain or are prone to developing aches and pains, you may notice that your condition worsens, when the weather is cool or damp. Especially in Texas, people’s joints are comfortable in the warm weather. So when the temperature drops or the rain starts, pain arrives. Here is some information about the link between weather and joint pain…

 

1. Weather can alter the thickness of your joint fluid

Recent studies conducted by Tuft University claim that a drastic change in weather can alter the amount of fluid in your joints. Any change in the thickness of your joint fluid can cause discomfort and pain. Tuft’s studies also concluded that a change in barometric pressure can also increase joint pain, among individuals who suffer from arthritis.

 

2. People tend to exercise less in cold or wet weather

It’s a well-known fact that regular exercise can help lessen the effects of arthritic conditions such as knee aches and elbow pain. Regular exercise increases the flexibility of your joints and drastically reduces joint pain. So if you’re looking to manage your joint problems, when it’s cold or raining, it’s well worth bundling up and going for a brisk walk, a few times a week. Or signing up for a gym membership, in order to work out and stay healthy.

 

3. People tend to stiffen up when it gets cold

Most people tend to clench their arms and fists, in a natural reaction to the cold or rainy weather. Clenching your body parts in order to shield yourself from the wind, the rain and the cold can increase the amount of joint pain which you experience. To avoid worsening your joint pain, keep your limbs loose and limber and to avoid stiffening your body parts. One effective way to relax your muscles and to relieve joint pain is to take a nice long hot shower.

 

4. People forget to hydrate in colder weather

When it’s hot out, you won’t have any trouble consuming eight glasses of water a day. However, when it’s chilly or raining you may be less motivated to stay hydrated. Unfortunately, even mild dehydration can increase the amount of pain which you feel in your joint areas. So, make sure you drink water often if you want to avoid symptoms of joint pain.
So joint pain is common in the cooler, wetter months, but there’s a variety of ways to keep pain low.

The knee is such a vital part of the human body, yet it is often one that is subject to a number of different problems that we may experience. The reason why this is true, in many cases, is because this area of the body tends to take a lot of abuse whenever we are younger and before any real problems begin to appear. Here are some effective knee exercises that can be done which can help you to overcome the pain that you are experiencing, but it may be able to help you to stop it from happening in the first place.

 

Wall Calf Stretch

While stretching, calf muscles most often get neglected. Therefore, for people who perform rigorous high impact workouts, running or even a lot of time on their feet, need proper calf stretches. This is because science has shown us that calves can get very tight from an impact. Therefore, they need to be stretched to relieve the tension that might later be problematic for the knees. Find a stable wall, and while facing the wall, stretch your right foot and place your heel where the floor meets the wall. While keeping your heel to the ground, lean toward your front leg and hold the stretch to its deepest point for about 5 seconds and switch feet. Target about 10-12 reps on each leg.

 

Quad Stretch and Half-Kneel Hip

This is a stretch that not only aids the knee, but also the hips. When you perform knee exercises, you will feel flexible. You can kneel on one knee with the other foot flat on the flat surface. Make sure you have close to 90 degrees with both your legs. After this is done, lean forward in the direction of your front leg. Stretch the front part of your hip in a downward direction. Then take the ankle of the leg on the ground and pull it toward your backside. This gives you a deep hamstring stretch all the way to the knees.

 

Quad Foam Roller Stretch

Quads are important to our legs and neglecting them comes with a heavy price later for our knees. This is because they usually get shorter from all the sitting our lifestyles involve. This causes them to be under constant tension. To rectify this, a foam roller can come in handy.

Start by lying face down with a foam roller under the right leg, right below the quad. This will help you put most of your body weight on your leg. When you have already done this, roll slowly. Some might say you should simply roll up and down. However, a better strategy will be to roll your leg from side to side and putting pressure on the tighter spots. Switch legs and continue doing this until you feel no pain or at least 7 minutes.

 

By utilizing these techniques, you will be able to stretch out the leg muscles, joints and therefore aid in your orthopedic health. The joints on your legs support much weight. Therefore, taking care of them should be a regular task never to be forgotten.