Understanding the link between joint pain and winter chills
❄️ Cold Weather & Aching Joints: What’s the Connection?
It’s been a really common question over the past few weeks as the cold snap in Melbourne hit suddenly, and many people living with arthritic or degenerative joints notice their symptoms getting worse. You might feel more stiffness in the morning, achy knees, or hip pain that seems to flare up when the temperature drops. Probably the most common statement we hear is “I feel it in my bones”!
Is it just a coincidence? Or is there a real link between joint pain and cold weather? Even without the research, there just seems too many people saying the same thing to put it down to chance, or an “old wives’ tale”!
However, we don’t just need to rely on this anecdotal evidence, as actual research shows that many people with osteoarthritis do feel more pain and stiffness in winter. But why does this happen? And what can you do to manage it?
🌡️ Why Do My Joints Hurt More in Cold Weather?
Here are the most common reasons why:
🔁 1. Cold Weather May Thicken Joint Fluid
Inside your joints is a substance called synovial fluid, which acts sort of like engine oil – keeping everything moving smoothly. This synovial fluid is like a lubricant and in colder weather, can thicken slightly, making your joints feel more stiff and sluggish.
💨 2. Muscles Tighten & Blood Flow Reduces
Cold temperatures cause your body to redirect blood flow away from your limbs and toward your internal organs to keep you warm. Less blood flow to the joints and surrounding muscles can lead to tightness, reduced flexibility, and increased discomfort. Most will have experienced that cold stiff feeling in your hands and knuckles in the cold weather,
🌧️ 3. Less Movement in Winter
When it’s cold outside, we naturally move less. But less movement = more stiffness. Inactivity allows the muscles around your joints to weaken and joints to stiffen further, worsening the symptoms of an already stiff joint.
🌬️ 4. The Barometric Pressure Effect
Although we can’t see or feel barometric pressure changes directly, people with arthritis often say they can “feel” a change in the weather coming – I’ve heard this many times before.
Barometric pressure is the weight of the air that surrounds us. Barometric pressure drops before a weather event such as a cold front or rain, and the thought is that this drop causes the tissues around your joints to expand slightly.
Think of it this way:
Imagine your joint is like a sealed balloon. When the air pressure outside drops (like in a plane or during weather changes), the balloon (your joint capsule) can swell slightly because there’s less external pressure pushing against it. That subtle expansion can result in more pressure within the joint and can lead to:
- Increased nerve sensitivity and stretching of the already irritated and inflamed joint lining (synovium)
- A feeling of heaviness or fullness in the joint
- More pain, stiffness, or aching, particularly in the knees and hips, and especially if the joint is already inflamed or arthritic.
And this is pretty much the same reason why your joints can ache (and your feet and ankles get swollen) on a plane flight – when we are at sea level, atmospheric pressure is higher simply because there’s more atmosphere above us. As you go higher – like up a mountain or in an airplane – the air pressure drops because there’s less atmosphere pushing down from above. When you’re flying, your body is actually experiencing a mild drop in barometric pressure, similar to what you’d feel before a weather front arrives. At these lower pressures, your blood vessels expand slightly, and gravity causes fluid to pool in the lower limbs, especially if you’re sitting still for hours.
This is why your:
- Ankles might swell
- Feet feel tight in your shoes
- Legs become achy or heavy
This swelling is called edema, and it’s made worse by inactivity and pressure changes. That’s why moving your knees and ankles on a plane (and wearing compression stockings) is highly recommended.
✅ What Can I Do to Manage Winter Joint Pain?
There’s good news – you’re not powerless in the face of winter pain. Here are several things you can do to reduce stiffness and stay active:
🚶♂️ 1. Keep Moving (Even a Little Helps!)
Movement lubricates the joints and strengthens muscles around them. Try:
- Indoor walking, gentle cycling or swimming
- Chair-based or home exercises
- Ask your SSPC physiotherapist for a personalised winter movement plan
🧣 2. Stay Warm
Dress in layers, wear thermal leggings, gloves, or knee sleeves. Use heat packs or warm baths to soothe stiff joints – but always check with your physio if you have swelling or inflammation, as heat might not be ideal in those cases.
🧘♀️ 3. Stretch and Strengthen
A daily routine of gentle stretches – especially for hips, knees, calves, quads and hamstrings – can reduce stiffness. Strengthening exercises also reduce pressure on joints by making surrounding muscles stronger.
⚖️ 4. Watch Your Weight
Carrying extra weight increases strain on joints – especially your hips and knees. Every extra kilogram of weight can place four times the stress through the knee joint – affecting arthritis pain significantly. Winter seems to be a time of “comfort eating” so watch those calories!
💬 In Summary
Cold weather really can affect arthritic
joints – you’re not imagining it. Changes in temperature, barometric pressure, and physical inactivity all play a role in increasing pain and stiffness, particularly in the hands, hip and knee joints.
But with the right strategies – like moving regularly, strengthening your body, keeping warm, and watching your weight – you can reduce the impact that cold weather has on your arthritis.
📅 Need help this winter?
Our physiotherapy team is here to guide you through the colder months with expert care and a personalised plan.
📍 Book an appointment today at Southern Suburbs Physiotherapy Centre.
Anthony Lance
SSPC Physiotherapist
