Icy winds, frosty fields, and plummeting temperatures can only mean one thing: winter is here. For some, this stirs up fantasies of cosy fireplaces and Christmas turkey; for others, piercing cold and aching joints.
The winter season can be especially difficult if you have joint problems, the cold making them even more stiff and painful than usual. Many people tend to lose mobility and flexibility in their joints when they reach the age of fifty, making what were once simple daily occurrences " such as walking or lifting things " quite painful. A few leading osteopaths offer their insights and advice on how to gear up your joints for winter:
TIPS FOR MEN
- Prevent yourself from lifting too many heavy objects.
- Avoid carrying heavy loads on your back or shoulders " this affects your knees as much as your back and pelvis.
TIPS FOR WOMEN
- Avoid wearing heels higher than 4cm; this prevents further injury to the back, knees, and ankles.
- Carrying lighter handbags can make the difference you are looking for to your back and well as your knees
TIPS FOR BOTH GENDERS
- Be sure to cover up when going outside. Wearing high socks or stockings over the knees, and thick gloves and jumpers keeps your joints warm and mobile.
- Take a warm bath or shower after spending extensive time in the cold. This, along with underwater exercises, should loosen up your joints.
- Follow a regular exercise program that test the ranger and mobility of your joints, but do not exceed your limit. Always stop when it becomes too painful.
- Get the right nutrition and regulate your weight " this not only keeps the joints healthy, but the lighter you are, the less pressure is exerted over your joints.
- Sleeping on a firm mattress is strongly advised for everyone " not just people with back or shoulder problems. While there is no universal ideal mattress, choosing the right mattress for you is not only important to getting enough sleep every night, but essential to preventing morning joint-stiffness.
- If you are suffering from arthritis (or early symptoms of the disease), you are advised to use assistive devices (such as knee, wrist, elbow, or other joint braces) on the most painful areas.
HOW CAN AN OSTEOPATH HELP?
Consulting an osteopath can be useful in many respects, especially because they can help diagnose what problems you have (joint pains can often be early symptoms of either Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis, so it is important to be cognisant of these problems before they get worse), and devise a treatment plan that suits your needs. Through a combination of exercises, massages, and therapeutic techniques, osteopaths can help minimize your symptoms and use their expertise about the muscular-skeletal system to your advantage.
A lot of the tips above are not just specific to the winter season, but with sub-zero temperatures, it is important to take extra caution to protect your sensitive joints. But as long as you keep them warm and mobile, there is no reason why your joints should cause you problems this winter. - 16004
The winter season can be especially difficult if you have joint problems, the cold making them even more stiff and painful than usual. Many people tend to lose mobility and flexibility in their joints when they reach the age of fifty, making what were once simple daily occurrences " such as walking or lifting things " quite painful. A few leading osteopaths offer their insights and advice on how to gear up your joints for winter:
TIPS FOR MEN
- Prevent yourself from lifting too many heavy objects.
- Avoid carrying heavy loads on your back or shoulders " this affects your knees as much as your back and pelvis.
TIPS FOR WOMEN
- Avoid wearing heels higher than 4cm; this prevents further injury to the back, knees, and ankles.
- Carrying lighter handbags can make the difference you are looking for to your back and well as your knees
TIPS FOR BOTH GENDERS
- Be sure to cover up when going outside. Wearing high socks or stockings over the knees, and thick gloves and jumpers keeps your joints warm and mobile.
- Take a warm bath or shower after spending extensive time in the cold. This, along with underwater exercises, should loosen up your joints.
- Follow a regular exercise program that test the ranger and mobility of your joints, but do not exceed your limit. Always stop when it becomes too painful.
- Get the right nutrition and regulate your weight " this not only keeps the joints healthy, but the lighter you are, the less pressure is exerted over your joints.
- Sleeping on a firm mattress is strongly advised for everyone " not just people with back or shoulder problems. While there is no universal ideal mattress, choosing the right mattress for you is not only important to getting enough sleep every night, but essential to preventing morning joint-stiffness.
- If you are suffering from arthritis (or early symptoms of the disease), you are advised to use assistive devices (such as knee, wrist, elbow, or other joint braces) on the most painful areas.
HOW CAN AN OSTEOPATH HELP?
Consulting an osteopath can be useful in many respects, especially because they can help diagnose what problems you have (joint pains can often be early symptoms of either Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis, so it is important to be cognisant of these problems before they get worse), and devise a treatment plan that suits your needs. Through a combination of exercises, massages, and therapeutic techniques, osteopaths can help minimize your symptoms and use their expertise about the muscular-skeletal system to your advantage.
A lot of the tips above are not just specific to the winter season, but with sub-zero temperatures, it is important to take extra caution to protect your sensitive joints. But as long as you keep them warm and mobile, there is no reason why your joints should cause you problems this winter. - 16004
About the Author:
Andrew Mitchell, editor of the Osteopath Network, writes articles about osteopathy, osteopaths, London osteopath , back pain, neck pain, injury management. Andrew is interested in many aspects of alternative medicine.
