Everyone knows: cold weather comes with knee pain. Your parents or you yourself may have complained about joint pain during the winter. But what about during summer?
Does the joint pain go away in warm weather? Or do people experience more pain and orthopedic problems during this season? We’ll answer these in this post.
(Please note, no matter the season/weather, if you’re experiencing any form of orthopedic issues, it’s important that you visit the best bone doctor in Kolkata. Ignoring the problem and hoping it would get better on its own can make things worse. Early intervention is the biggest determining factor in the success of treatment.)
Warm Weather Causes Joint Pain
Summer brings more than just sunshine and warm weather. It can also bring joint pain and discomfort.
In the summer, heat and humidity can cause tendons, ligaments, and muscles to expand. This expansion can stress your joints. At times, the pain may be severe enough that it’s difficult to move around. This non-use of your joints will cause them to stiffen.
Joints damaged by arthritis or other conditions may have exposed nerves that are irritated by changes in the air pressure around you — which is caused by rising temperatures and humidity levels. This irritation can make your pain worse when the weather changes.
The increased humidity during the summer months also causes your body to lose water, which can leave your joints feeling dry and achy.
So, when the atmosphere is stable, meaning there are no major changes in temperature or humidity, those with arthritis may find themselves with less joint pain. But when the barometric pressure drops and a storm is on the way, their joints can ache without warning.
How to Manage Your Joint Pain During Summer?
Although heat can aggravate joint pain symptoms, there are ways you can minimize any pain or stiffness so you can still enjoy the summer months.
- Remain inside when you can; this is especially true when it’s very hot outside. Staying indoors during extreme heat, when possible, will help prevent your joints from swelling up in the heat. If you must venture outside, try to limit your time outside and seek out ways to stay cool (i.e., hydrate, wear loose clothing and find shade).
- Keep yourself hydrated. Dehydration can worsen joint pain symptoms. It’s recommended that adults drink at least 8 cups of water daily; in hot weather and after exercise (when sweating), more may be needed to replenish fluids lost through sweat. Keep an eye on the color of your urine — pale yellow means you’re well-hydrated while dark yellow indicates dehydration. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as they are diuretics that cause further fluid loss through urine and sweat.
- Don’t overexert yourself. If you have arthritis or another condition that causes joint pain, summer is not the best time to start a rigorous exercise routine or take on other strenuous tasks. Your body is already working harder because of the warm weather and excessive activity can cause further damage to joints that are already in pain.
Consult a Joint Pain Specialist
If you or your loved ones are dealing with joint pain, get in touch with an orthopedic specialist. Consult the best knee replacement surgeon and start an effective treatment plan immediately. As mentioned, refusing to address the problem can only worsen joint pain. Starting the treatment as early as possible is very important.