It’s been a rough few days, with the cold weather and snow finding a permanent home for the winter. My knees feel as though they’re fighting against me, as far as movement goes.
The cold has a measurable and proven effect on one’s joints and tendons. There are many explanations for this, including thickening of the fluids in your joints. Thickened fluids will make the joints feel thicker and make it feel as though the joints are stiff. Arthritis flare-ups and the expansion of tissue have also been known to cause pain.
Whatever the reason, it’s a condition that has worsened over the years and I’m certainly feeling it today. I missed a karate class last night, which irks me to no end. But sometimes you need to know when to take a step back and allow the pain to pass. What’s worse, classes have been cancelled for tomorrow night since it’s Halloween, but at least that gives me a full week’s rest before taxing my knees further.
Although there have been a number of studies performed in relation to joint pain during inclement weather, nothing conclusive has ever been proven. Feel free to Google “joint pain when it’s cold” and you’ll find a bunch of articles… Despite that fact, there are a few things you can do to help alleviate some of the pain.
Obviously, some over-the-counter pain medications can help to some degree, depending on the exact cause. If swelling is the culprit, ibuprofen can provide some relief. Keep your joints warm… I find that a heating blanket for short periods of time, helps to reduce the pain in my knees. Make certain that you dress warmly, especially if going outdoors. As usual, exercise and proper health management are always my favorite go-to’s when trying to prevent any sort of complication.
Hopefully once the weather becomes consistent, despite the cold, my joints will adjust and feel better. In my case, some of it may be age-related. But the bottom line is that even though it’s important to learn how to “fight through the pain”, it’s just as important to know when to back off and take it easy. For the immediate moment, it appears that I’ll just have to take a knee… ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 