Starting in fall, when the cold wind blows, it is easy to feel dry skin, eyes, etc., and joints are no exception.
Even if the arthritis is not severe, the knees, ankles, and lower back are stiff in the morning and creaking when getting out of bed as a sign of pain, which usually disappears after an hour or two. This is because as temperatures drop in fall, blood circulation in joints and surrounding tissues decreases, and structures such as muscles and ligaments harden while sleeping without movement.
For arthritis, as temperatures drop from fall to mid-winter, joint flexibility decreases and pain and swelling worsen. To alleviate these symptoms, it is best to get into the habit of stretching for 5 to 10 minutes instead of waking up right away in the morning. Compressing and massaging the joints with a warm bean bag or hot pack can help relieve stiffness.
Drinking plenty of water can also help increase joint flexibility and reduce pain or stiffness. Sufficient water intake can have a positive effect on joint dryness and helps maintain synovial fluid, which acts as lubrication around the joints. Synovial fluid helps maintain joint health by reducing friction and absorbing shock.
If stiffness and pain in your knees persist, hyaluronic acid knee injections may be effective. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that originally exists in the joints of our body and acts as a lubricant for the joints. By supplementing it with injection treatment, it helps smooth the movement of the joints in cases of degenerative arthritis or joint stiffness.
The most common area where arthritis occurs is the knee. The knee is a major joint that supports body weight, has a large joint area, and is subject to constant pressure during daily activities, so cartilage wear and degenerative changes are prone to occur.
Arthritis has a high incidence in middle-aged women after their 50s. If your joints are stiff and your knees start to feel slight pain on a chilly morning, you should take this as an early warning sign of arthritis and pay more attention to maintaining joint health.
To keep your knees healthy, you should try to reduce the strain on your knees. You should maintain an appropriate weight and train the muscles around the knees, calves, thighs, etc. to distribute the load on the joints and consistently exercise to increase flexibility.
Oh-ryong Kwon, director of Yonsei Star Hospital and an orthopedic specialist, said, “Joints are greatly affected by changes in temperature and humidity, and arthritis patients can be particularly sensitive to these changes. “There are various reasons for stiff joints in the morning, but if the symptoms persist or appear along with pain or swelling, it can be seen as a sign of the beginning of degenerative arthritis,” he explained.
“Once the cartilage begins to be damaged due to arthritis, complete healing is difficult because cartilage is a tissue that does not regenerate on its own. “In particular, it is recommended that middle-aged women after the age of 50 who are entering menopause undergo regular knee examinations and develop a joint health management plan tailored to their individual circumstances,” he advised.
Song Chi-hoon, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
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