The colder weather can definitely make all of us want to bundle up on the couch with a nice blanket and stay in our homes. This can especially be true for those who suffer from joint pain. Your pains can seem to be at an all time high during the winter months.
However, staying active in the colder months has been shown to lessen joint pain and improve overall quality of life. While our weather here in Dallas may not be in the below freezing temperatures, you still may not want to be outside in the colder weather.
So what types of exercises can you do to alleviate your joint pain and still stay out of the cold weather?
Cold Weather Joint Pain Exercise #1- Stationary Bike
Biking is a great exercise for joint pain relief. When you are participating in an exercise like cycling, you are limiting the stress on your weight bearing joints like your hips and knees. Cycling can also strengthen the muscles that support your knees, which helps support that joint. This is also an exercise that you can continue to do outdoors when the weather starts to warm up in a few months.
Cold Weather Joint Pain Exercise #2- Yoga
Yoga is amazing for improving your mobility, flexibility and range of motion. It can help with your balance and coordination which is known to be an issue for those who suffer from joint pain. This type of exercise can also help you build muscle around several joints in your body. Yoga is also a great way to relieve stress and tension in your body which can greatly improve things like sleep and overall well being.
Cold Weather Joint Pain Exercise #3- Strengthening Exercises
Strengthening your muscles causes there to be less strain on your joints. It can reduce inflammation, pain and stiffness in your joints. When your body and core are strong, your balance and coordination is also much better. Another great benefit of strengthening your body is that with stronger muscles your body is able to more easily complete everyday activities that are harder for those with joint pain, like laundry or gardening.
Tips for Cold Weather Joint Pain Exercises
Staying active throughout the entire year is always a great way to keep your body healthy and to experience joint pain relief. Here are some great tips for insuring that your cold weather exercising is at its best:
- Slowly work yourself into an exercise routine-you don’t want to hurt your body
- Warm-up and cool-down with gentle stretching
- Remember to hydrate-you still lose a lot of fluid during cold months
- Try to plan your workout later in the day- joint pain and stiffness is usually worse in the mornings
The colder months may not seem like the ideal time to start an exercise routine, but there is no reason to wait for a specific time to start to experience joint pain relief. Exercising is a great addition to a pain management treatment plan for joint pain. If you find yourself experiencing joint pain, The Arthritis Pain Institute is here to work with you to develop a plan that can help you on to a path to a more pain free life. Give us a call today, (972) 945-0785 and schedule a consultation.
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