Stop The Cold Weather From Affecting Your Joints

by FitMyFoot
September 28, 2016
3 min read

Do the cold months make your feet, knees, hips, or back ache? There could be a simple solution to make that pain go away. Here are 9 ways to stop your joints from aching this winter.

1. DRESS WARMLY

If it's cold, dress warm. Simple. Add extra layers over your knees and legs – long johns and knee high socks work great. Look for base layers made of marino wool, silk, or bamboo to keep the cold out, and your joints warm!

2. LAYER UP

With the cold weather starting to roll in, and the yearning to stay active still as strong as ever, it's important to wear lots of layers so you can control your comfort level when temperatures shift dramatically. Some gloves (especially those made for skiing) will have an insert specifically designed to insulate the water proof outer layer. Wearing marino wool layers on top of your regular shirts help to keep the heat in and moisture out.

3. HYDRATE

Even if you're not active through the winter months, staying hydrated is key. In the cold weather, your body will make you feel less thirsty then it really is making dehydration easy. If you're even slightly dehydrated, you can become more sensitive to joint pain. A good rule of thumb is to drink more than your thirst mechanism says.

4. LOSE WEIGHT

This one should be a no brainer. The more weight, the more stress you put in your joints. If you live in a colder winter climate, this added weight combined with the stiffness from the cold can wreak havoc on your body. If you've noticed a few extra pounds appear during the holidays (as we all do) don't fret, just get back to your exercise routine and don't let the holidays get the best of you.

5. INCREASE ALIGNMENT AND BLOOD FLOW

If you usually choose the couch over the treadmill from October to February, your body may have already started to lose muscle mass and stopped supporting your feet, knees, hips, and back the way it used to. Grab a pair of custom insoles and get yourself realigned. The aligning of your joints will help you to feel better and make movement easier. The better aligned you are, the less likely you are to have any sort of pain – even in those cold months! We suggest trying a pair of FitMyFoot custom 3D printed insoles.

6. SUPPLEMENT VITAMIN D

Low levels of vitamin D can make your arthritis pain much worse, according to research in the September 2015 issue of Pain Management. Having low levels of vitamin D also raises the risk for osteoporosis. Since there is less sunshine during the winter months, vitamin D deficiency can be a common problem. Talk to your doctor about getting vitamin D supplements.

7. LET WARM WATER COMFORT YOU

Like anyone needed an excuse to have a bath... However, swimming is great as well. Not only does it help strengthen your joints, but it burns calories while having a low impact on your body. Swimming in a heated pool is also soothing on the joints. Just don’t go right out into the cold after your soak. Let your body temperature normalize a bit first. After soaking and warming, it's important to align your body into the positions your knees hips feet and back should be in so that they can start to strengthen them naturally. To do this, throw in your pair ofFitMyFoot custom 3D printed insoles.

8. STAY SAFE

If you suffer from arthritis, you need to protect your joints from further damage. If you’re going outside, pick supportive shoes with good treads. Adding FitMyFoot's custom arch support can help to give you added support and stability. This added stability will give your feet a wider range of motion, and reduce fatigue, meaning that you can react quicker and have a much more stable platform for walking.

9. GET A MASSAGE

Ok, go splurge. A massage will not only relax your mind and spirit, but you can work out those trouble spots in your joints causing pain. Getting an hour-long massage once a week for at least eight weeks was shown to reduce pain, according to research in the June 2015 issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.