How weather can affect joint pain

If you’ve been feeling more pain this summer, there may be a reason why.

People with conditions such as arthritis are more likely to experience pain on days with higher humidity and stronger winds, said Dr. Andrew Bang, with Cleveland Clinic.

Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, can aggravate joint issues for a lot of people, doctors said.

“As the decrease in pressure happens, our tissues – like muscles, ligaments, soft tissue, connective tissue – they expand,” said Bang. “So, if you have arthritis already, like osteoarthritis – that’s wear and tear naturally, either naturally or by an acute injury – the space is already reduced in your joint, and now the pressure change expands those tissues. So now they’re, like, butting up against the arthritis. So maybe that’s why people hurt more when the barometric pressure changes.”

Doctors report that patients are more likely to complain about joint pain when the weather changes.

However, it’s not a lost cause. There are ways to combat this issue.

Doctors recommend using standing desks when working. They also urge people to do isometrics, which are movements that don’t require joints to move.