How to keep arthritic hips from keeping you down this season
Winter may not be strike fear in your heart, but it can strike pain in your hip, especially if you suffer from arthritis!
In a U.S. study on chronic pain, 67.9 percent of survey responders reported that weather has an impact on their pain, especially the rain and cold. Where are the hip joint pain remedies when you need them?
Though it is still unclear why the winter months cause an increase in chronic pain, especially due to arthritis, it is thought that it could be due to a drop in atmospheric barometric pressure. When the pressure drops, the muscles and tissue expand, putting pressure on the nerves that control pain signals. Therefore, if you already experience chronic hip pain, the cold winter months exacerbate the problem, causing more noticeable and frequent pain.
When the winter is against you, what can you do to lessen hip pain while waiting for spring to reappear? Here is a list of hip joint pain remedies to keep the pain at bay.
Hip Joint Pain Remedies in the Winter Months
Keep Warm
Providing warmth for your hips will ease joint and pain caused by the winter, so the most important thing to do in the cold months is to dress warm. Wear multiple layers of loose clothing so that heat can stay trapped next to your body when you venture outside.
Go to an outdoor sporting goods store to purchase socks, gloves, and long underwear that will stand up against the blustery weather. In addition, be mindful of getting wet from slushy snow or sleet. Always wear a waterproof layer with your winter jacket to keep the wet from chilling you to the bone.
Stay Active
It can be tempting in the winter to stay in hibernation mode, leaving all of the activity and exercise for the warmer time of year. However, don’t be fooled! You can stay plenty active in the winter, and keeping your joints moving will go far in reducing chronic pain.
Join an indoor yoga, Zumba or water aerobics class. Bundle up and take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood every day. Ask a friend to join you a few times a week for a walk in the local mall. Keeping your joints loose and warm through exercise will reduce the swelling that comes with the weather change! (Note: if you have even more hip pain when walking, let your doctor know!)
You can also ask your orthopedic surgeon for information on an exercise for hip arthritis to help with your winter hip pain.
Compression
Wrapping your hip in an ACE bandage can help with pain due to arthritis in the winter. Check out this guide for how to properly wrap your hip.
For more information about how to control hip pain due to arthritis during any month of the year, contact Allied Bone and Joint today. Our orthopedic surgeons work diligently with patients to get their lives back in motion. Let us do the same for you!
