In winter as in these days, more and more people visit the hospital for joint pain. There are several correlations between cold and joint pain. When atmospheric pressure decreases in winter, the air pressure applied to our body also decreases, causing swelling of muscles, ligaments, joints and soft tissues and stimulating the nerves. When the temperature drops, the muscles and ligaments stiffen and the joint area can feel stiff. Muscle pain and cramps often occur in the joints at the extremities of the body, such as the hands and toes, as blood circulation is not regular.
There are two main ways to reduce joint pain in winter.
First, it warms the body. Keeping warm is important and special care should be taken to keep the head and limbs warm, which give off a lot of body heat. It is also good to apply a warm compress for pain caused by arthritis. Wearing a knee band can also help reduce pain by increasing joint stability and preventing exposure to cold.
Second, moderate physical activity. If you are not physically active, your joints will become stiff and muscle strength will decrease, which can make joint pain worse. “Walking in place” can be useful in these days when it is difficult to use gyms and other sports facilities due to the COVID-19 emergency. Walking on the spot is a useful exercise that allows you not to get bored while watching TV or listening to music even in a small interior space. Aerobic exercise is effective for weight loss, strengthens cardiorespiratory function, and can also improve balance and flexibility. It helps prevent osteoporosis as it has the effect of increasing bone density in the spine.
Walking in place can be done in a number of ways. It is good for the healthy younger generation to walk rhythmically with their knees high and arms wide swaying as if they were doing the so-called “power walking”. It is a method that can maximize the effect of aerobic exercise and the amount of exercise. On the other hand, it is recommended that the elderly, arthritis patients or those who have undergone artificial joint surgery perform the procedure slowly taking care not to fall while holding an orthosis or handle. Walking slowly in place, as if standing on one leg for a while, not only improves the sense of balance, but also develops the hip muscles such as the gluteus medius.
Choi Jeong-yoon, professor of orthopedic surgery at Sanggye Paik Hospital of Inje University, said: “In these days, when outdoor activities are difficult due to the cold and the Corona 19, you can safely keep joint health by walking in place. The speed, intensity, time and frequency of walking in place may vary according to age and health condition, but we recommend that you do it for at least 30 minutes, three times a week.
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