Cold Weather, Joint Pain and Stiffness: Why You May Feel Achy in the Fall

Jean Donati

Sep 29

4 min read

Person staying active in cool fall weather to help manage joint pain and stiffness

Cold Weather, Joint Pain and Stiffness: Why You May Feel More Achy in the Fall

Have you ever said, “My joints can tell when the weather is changing”?

You're certainly not the only one.

Cold weather joint pain is something I hear about frequently. As the weather gets cooler, many people tell me their knees ache more, their back or neck feels stiffer, or an old injury that had been behaving itself suddenly starts reminding them that it's there.

Interestingly, researchers have been studying the connection between weather and pain for years—and the answer isn't as simple as you might think.

Some research has found associations between pain and changes in humidity, barometric pressure, wind and temperature. Other studies haven't found a strong connection at all.

There may also be a simpler factor involved: when it gets cold outside, many of us move less.

We stay inside. We sit more. We may stop walking, gardening or doing some of the activities that kept us moving during the warmer months. Less movement can contribute to stiffness, particularly if you're already dealing with arthritis, chronic pain or an old injury.

A Chinese Medicine View of Cold, Wind and Pain

Traditional Chinese Medicine has looked at the relationship between weather and the body for thousands of years.

In Chinese Medicine, cold, wind and dampness are traditional patterns used to describe different presentations of pain and stiffness.

And those patterns don't necessarily feel the same.

Cold may present as pain that stays in one place and feels better with warmth.

Wind is traditionally associated with discomfort that moves around, changes location or comes and goes.

Dampness may feel more like heaviness, swelling or a deep, lingering ache.

A heat presentation is different again—a joint may be red, warm, swollen and painful.

Sometimes these patterns overlap. Someone might have characteristics of both cold and dampness, for example.

This is one of the reasons I don't treat every person with knee pain, back pain or arthritis exactly the same way.

The person matters just as much as the painful joint.

What Can You Do When the Temperature Drops?

Fortunately, there are some very simple things you can do.

Keep Yourself Warm

Dress in layers and pay particular attention to areas that tend to bother you.

Keep your feet warm. Wear gloves if your hands become stiff. Cover your neck when it's cold or windy outside.

And whenever possible, avoid sitting in a cold draft or having cold air blowing directly on you for extended periods.

Keep Moving

It's tempting to curl up on the couch when it's cold and damp, but movement is important for maintaining flexibility and mobility.

You don't have to do anything strenuous.

Walking, gentle stretching, yoga, tai chi, qi gong and range-of-motion exercises are all ways to keep your body moving.

If pain or stiffness makes strenuous exercise difficult, gentler activities such as tai chi or qi gong can provide movement without the same physical demands.

The important thing is not to stop moving simply because the weather has changed.

Warm Up Before You Exercise

This is especially important as the temperatures fall.

Don't expect cold muscles and joints to immediately perform at full speed. Give yourself several minutes of easy movement before increasing your activity.

Whether you're walking, running, skating, gardening or doing something else you enjoy, give your body a chance to warm up first.

Use Warmth When Appropriate

A warm shower or bath can feel wonderful when you're stiff and achy. A heating pad or warm compress may also help relax tight muscles and stiff joints.

However, not every painful joint needs heat. A new injury or a joint that is significantly red, hot or swollen should be evaluated rather than simply treated with more warmth.

Warm Yourself From the Inside, Too

Chinese Medicine also looks at how we eat as the seasons change.

Fall and winter are traditionally times to move toward more warm, cooked foods.

That doesn't mean you need a complicated special diet.

Think:

Soups and stews
Oatmeal and other warm breakfasts
Roasted vegetables
Squash and root vegetables
Ginger, garlic and warming spices incorporated into regular cooking

Your own earlier autumn writing also emphasizes slow-cooked, roasted and stewed foods as the weather becomes cold, damp and windy.

Sometimes the simplest seasonal changes make the most sense: warm clothes, warm food and continued movement.

Where Does Acupuncture Fit In?

Acupuncture can be another tool for managing certain types of musculoskeletal pain.

In my acupuncture practice in Towson, Maryland, I see people with neck and back pain, knee and joint pain, tendonitis and overuse injuries, sports injuries, and old injuries that periodically start bothering them again.

Treatment isn't exactly the same for everyone.

I look at where you're hurting, what the pain feels like, what makes it better or worse, how long it has been there, what activities you want to get back to, and what's happening with you as a whole person.

Sometimes the goal isn't to make you stop doing the things you love.

It's to help you keep doing them.

And if you already know that a particular knee, back, shoulder or old injury tends to bother you every fall or winter, you don't necessarily have to wait until you're miserable before paying attention to it.

Does Your Knee Predict the Weather?

Knees seem to be particularly good amateur meteorologists.

If yours starts complaining every time the temperature drops or rain is coming, I have an entire article specifically about knee pain, weather changes and acupuncture:

Can You Predict the Weather by Your Knee Pain? Acupuncture for Knee Pain in Towson MD