Does the cold really cause joint pain to flare up?
It sounds like a myth. How is it possible that our typical English weather can make even the smallest joint pain so much worse? Are we just blaming the weather like we do for so many other things?
Well actually- no, you might be surprised to find out that the inkling you have about the cold weather making you ache isn’t just a made-up excuse.
Whilst there is still lots of research to be done on this theory, there is evidence to suggest a change in weather, mainly the temperature dropping, can have an effect on your joints.
This is due to the drop in the barometric pressure of the weather that often comes with temperature changes. This change in pressure causes your muscles and tendons to expand, which can put extra pressure on your joints and cause that small nagging pain to flare up, especially in those of us who suffer from Arthritis.
Research by Nuffield Health found that:
About 80 to 90% of people with arthritis can be sensitive to falling temperatures and air (barometric) pressure during the winter. The level of humidity (the amount of water vapour in the air) can also affect your joint symptoms.
Research shows that joint pain and stiffness are worse when there is a high level of humidity and low barometric pressure. 62% of women are sensitive to weather changes compared with 37% of men. Cold weather causes lower temperatures in the joints, which in turn increases stiffness.
They also suggest that as people are generally less active in the winter months, this could also contribute to the increased levels of joint pain.
Dr. Mariko L. Ishimori, Interim Director at the Cedars-Sinai Division of Rheumatology in Los Angeles, describes winter joint pain saying "Our joints operate best in temperate weather, when the weather gets cooler, the synovial fluid that acts like motor oil in our joints becomes more like sludge."
Some people are so sensitive to the weather that their aching joints act as a signal that a storm is coming.”
Whilst we’re not sure our achy joints really can forecast the weather, here are some useful things we can do to help reduce joint pain in the colder months:
1. Stay warm- be prepared and dress appropriately for the weather
2. Keep active- keeping your joints moving helps to maintain mobility and stop joints stiffening up in the cold. Try keeping your knees warm and supported with a neoprene knee wrap if needed.
3. Maintain a healthy weight- this makes sure you are not putting too much pressure on your joints with excess weight to carry.
4. Take a Joint Supplement like Collagen. Our Peptigen+ Age Defying multi collagen has 5 different types of collagen that help to support joints, muscle and tendon health as well as recovery from joint or muscle injuries.
How can Collagen help with cold-weather joint pain?
Collagen primarily makes up your bones and joints.
It’s a well-known fact that as you get older, your body starts to produce less collagen, causing bone density to decrease, especially for those of us who go through menopause. Taking a daily dose of collagen can help to prevent this.
So what's in our Collagen?
Our Peptigen+ Age Defying Multi-Collagen is packed full of Type X Collagen which supports bone formation and can help prevent conditions such as Osteoporosis and arthritis, as well as helping to heal tissues to improve joint health.
Another vital collagen included in our Peptigen+ Age Defying Multi-Collagen is Type II. This is predominantly used for cartilage between bones to form joints and when taken as a supplement can significantly reduce joint pain by replacing the lack of collagen our body produces naturally as we age.
Don't let joint pain brought on by the cold stop you this season. Peptigen+ Age-Defying Multi-Collagen contains ingredients that can help your body prevent joint pain, regardless of the weather.