How Does Colder Weather Affect My Hip Injury?
If you have a hip injury, whether from a fall or a hip replacement, you know that cold weather can be uncomfortable. Unfortunately, cold weather affects many people with joint and bone injuries. That’s why it’s important to know what to expect and how to treat your hip injury at home.
Why cold weather hurts your hip
Within the area surrounding your hip, you have a joint, tendons, muscles, bones, and a socket. All of these are affected by a hip injury, especially one that is relatively new. Cold weather also affects each of these. Joints are affected by cold weather, as it restricts the synovial fluid that helps lubricate them for movement. Tendons are not as stretchy or mobile in the cold, as the temperature decrease can harden them. Muscles are affected by humidity and temperature, as they tense in response to harsh environments. The bones and cartilage around your hip are also affected by humidity, which seeps in when exposed to the outdoors. Of course, your hip socket is affected when the other moving parts aren’t working as they should, making it hard for the ball to move easily in the joint.
Barometric pressure, humidity, and all the receptors in your skin and muscle play a role in cold weather’s impact on your hip injury. To help reduce some of the pain and movement restriction caused by cold weather, there are a few things you can do.
How to protect your hip injury from the cold
To ensure you’re not miserable this winter, you can do a few things at home to warm up your hip injury. These include:
- Wearing warm layers. It may seem obvious, but keeping your injury site warm with flannel leggings or long johns can help reduce pain. The extra layers can also help compress the site, which keeps synovial fluid and blood warm in the area.
- Hot baths and heating pads. When you’re especially chilled or in pain, a heating pad or hot bath can help immensely. Not only does it relieve cold, but it will increase blood flow to the area, loosen the synovial fluid, and relax your muscles and tendons.
- Anti-inflammatories. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Advil or Aleve can help reduce some pain, but use them sparingly as they can cause stomach and liver problems when overused.
- Exercise and physical therapy. Depending on how recent your injury is, you should keep up on doctor-recommend physical therapy. If your injury is old, movement and gentle exercise can help keep the pain at bay — and prevent future arthritis.
If you’re dealing with a lot of hip pain from your old or new injury, these tips should help keep some of the pain at bay. However, more severe pain or reduced mobility should be addressed by your orthopedic surgeon or specialist. Make an appointment if you’re concerned about anything; they will be able to help you determine if it’s just the cold or if it’s something more concerning.
Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201 Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119