5 common pains in winter and how to prevent them

ArabiaWeather - “Winter can be tough on our bodies, as cold weather noticeably affects all aspects of our lives, from our skin to our muscles.

To maintain overall health during this season, it takes more than just boosting your immune system and eating a healthy diet; we may also need to consider improving muscle health.

Julie Jennings, an occupational therapist, shared on the British Express website how you can avoid worsening aches and pains during this season.

“During the winter months, things can generally take a turn for the worse,” Jennings explains. “This is partly due to the colder weather and shorter days, with many spending more time indoors, sitting for long periods of time enjoying comfort. Low temperatures can also affect our condition, as "The body uses wraps to conserve heat. Now, with the onset of winter, you may notice an increase in your body pain beyond normal expectations."

Shoulder and neck pain

As many continue to work from home in response to rising cases of the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, “home offices” can quickly lead to poor health.

Julie points out that poor sitting posture while working at home can cause the spine to deteriorate over time, leading to neck, back and shoulder pain.

Tips include avoiding slouching while sitting and making sure to sit in an upright position, with your shoulders relaxed and your feet on the ground.

She also suggested some daily preventive measures:

• Take regular breaks during work hours.
• Try using a yoga ball as an alternative to the couch while watching TV.
• Aim to complete 20 minutes of exercise daily to keep your muscles active.
• Do stretching exercises daily to relieve tension and relax muscles.

Hip pain

Hip pain can cause significant discomfort while walking and sitting, and is often the result of spending too much time in certain positions, such as bending over or sitting with crossed legs.

Julie recommends that you adjust your posture while sitting and avoid high-impact exercises that may worsen your hip pain.

She adds: "Choose low-impact activities such as yoga or swimming to ease any stiffness and enhance muscle strength. Try to avoid sitting in the same position for long periods, and use gentle stretching exercises to reduce joint and muscle pain."

Knee pain

Julie emphasized the importance of good posture to align the joints in the body, especially the knees. She pointed out that adopting incorrect postures may lead to stiffness in the muscles and tendons, which ultimately causes aches and pains.

Although short days and dark nights may make it difficult to find motivation to exercise, keeping your body moving is important during the winter.

She recommends walking outdoors during the winter and doing gentle stretching exercises to help improve body flexibility and expand range of motion, by relaxing tight muscles to get rid of knee pain.

Foot and ankle pain

Constant pressure on our feet and ankles can lead to pain while walking and standing. Under constant stress, the bones and ligaments in the feet and ankles struggle to support the body's weight, which can cause circulation problems and swelling in the ankles, Julie directs.

To relieve these annoying pains, walking is the ideal solution, as it helps improve blood circulation and strengthen the muscles involved.

Wrist and hand pain

Poor posture while sitting can cause your shoulders to shift forward, causing your neck and shoulder muscles to shorten. As a result, strain can occur in the area of the wrists and hands. To relieve aches and pains in your hands and wrists, it's best to keep your shoulders relaxed while standing, walking, and sitting.

It is also preferable to avoid repetitive and stressful movements, and it is encouraged to take regular breaks while using the computer, while avoiding reaching for the keyboard with one hand.

Source: RT