Winter Woes: Why The Cold Weather Makes Joints Hurt
Did you know that winter brings increasing episodes of joint and muscle pain? If it seems like your back, hips, legs and knees feel most sore during the colder months, it’s not your imagination! Shifts in temperature, especially during the cold season, are known to affect the joints and can cause increased discomfort.
So why exactly do our joints flare up in the cold?
Increased joint pain in winter is extremely common yet several studies have come to no definitive conclusion. Here's what medical experts have theorized so far:
1. Cold temperatures thickens the joint fluid
Low temperatures can make the shock-absorbing fluid inside the joint thicker(1). This impedes its ability to flow freely and as a result, the joints can become stiff.
2. Change in barometric pressure or the weight of air
When the cartilage that cushions bones inside a joint is worn away, the nerves in the exposed bones might pick up on changes in pressure. Another popular theory suggests that cold weather causes barometric pressure to drop causing the tissues, tendons and muscles to expand and contract, resulting in joint pain.
3. Lack of physical activity
As temperature drops and daylight hours shorten, people tend to want to spend more time indoors and feel less inclined to get outside and exercise. This can lead to prolonged periods of inactivity that worsens joint pain due to sedentary activity.
4. Winter blues or a mood shift during the colder, darker days of winter
Bleak weather conditions and longer nights tend to have a negative impact on your mood, which may cause pain tolerance levels to decrease. Another possible explanation is that with little else to focus on during the winter months, we’re simply more aware of how much our body hurts than when we’re in a good mood, detracting from awareness of pain on a warm, sunny day.
What can we do about it?
Winter doesn’t have to stop you from living your best life. If you’re coming down with winter arthritis, here are some helpful tips to help prevent discomfort:
1. Bundle up!
Staying warm with winter-appropriate clothing and plenty of layers will keep you more comfortable when heading outdoors. Make sure you’re protecting your legs and knees by wearing thermal leggings, and your wrist joints with insulated gloves. It may take extra effort to put on those layers but your joints and muscles will thank you.
2. Keep moving
Remaining physically active in the winter months promotes better mobility and keeps joints flexible. When you don’t feel like going to the gym, you can choose other ways to work on your fitness goals and keep yourself nimble. For example, you can go for a brisk walk or a short run. If you’re looking to stay indoors, you can opt for a treadmill run, yoga, stationary bike ride or stretching.
3. Turn the water on
Nothing sounds better than a toasty bath when the weather gets cold and your joints start to ache. Submerging your body in a warm bath can help relax the muscles and relieve tension in your body.
Don’t forget to toss in a CBD bath bomb while you’re at it!
A CBD bath bomb is made of cannabidiol hemp extract, a potent ingredient found in the cannabis plant that is known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When a bath bomb breaks in water, it allows its skin-repairing properties to rapidly penetrate into your skin throughout the entire body, resulting in an ultra-relaxing soak.
4. Roll the pain away
When it comes to relieving joint pain, most people may reach for aspirin or ibuprofen. However, if the source of pain is closer to the surface, topical analgesics may actually work better and also helps avoid some of the body-wide side effects of oral pain relievers (2).
From pain creams, salves, balms, ointments or gels, the market is chock full of options so it’s easier to find something that you can stock up when the weather starts to get cold. We recommend a fast acting menthol gel roller with CBDfor deep penetrating relief from simple backache, arthritis, strains and sprains that low temperatures can exacerbate.
The cold-weather hero you didn't know you need: The Wingwoman
What's The Wingwoman?
The Wingwoman is a CBD-infused topical pain relieving gel from the brand Tub Therapy that’s guaranteed to make winter and beyond pain-free and fabulous. Each cooling application works by deeply penetrating the toughest aches providing targeted relief from pain associated with arthritis, sore muscles, sprains, bruises, strains, backaches, and more. It’s perfect for anyone who loves to hit the gym, planning a great outdoor adventure or just someone who struggles with daily aches and discomforts.
What's in it?
This greaseless, fast acting menthol gel contains an incredibly potent full spectrum cannabidiol hemp extract (2500MG) with less than 0.3% THC and a high percentage of menthol (3.5%). The formulation also combines a unique herbal blend of Uncaria Tomentosa, Boswellia, and Ilex.
Can CBD really help ease joint pain?
A topical CBD product designed for pain will not enter the bloodstream like how a CBD transdermal product or CBD ingestibles function, but it can help address pain on a targeted surface area of your body such as the joints.
When CBD absorbs through the skin, it offers localized relief by working with the cannabinoid receptors found on our skin. Cannabinoid receptors are part of the body’s endocannabinoid system, a body-wide system discovered in the 1990s that affects many important functions.
Our Verdict
Don't let the cold weather make it challenging to keep up with your daily routine. Find ways to get active in the winter, wear proper winter clothing outdoors, carve out a few minutes of your day for a soothing warm bath and don’t forget to get yourself a wingwoman with superior strength to help ease your pains.
We all know there's no replacement for a real best friend but The Wingwoman comes close. It's always there for a pick-me-up when things in life get tough during the cold season.
